Chaos Rising
by SilverIcefire
Summary: AU. All Might has been killed in the battle with All for One, but One for All lives on — in his previously unknown son, Izuku Midoriya. Meanwhile, the forces behind the origins of Quirks begin to stir, manifesting in the power of one young girl (OC), with a legendary legacy to live up to. M mostly for Bakugo's language, and violence.
1. I: Starting Line

**Chapter One: Starting Line**

* * *

 **—Midoriya—**

"Izuku! Hurry up!"

The young boy pressed the spacebar on his keyboard, pausing the clip playing on his computer. On the screen, a man was silhouetted against rising flames, climbing over a pile of rubble with several unconscious people under his arms and slung over his massive shoulders. He had his face lifted to the sky, his mouth stretched in a wide grin, in spite of the chaos around him. The last byte of audio echoed in Izuku's ears.

 _Why? Because I am HERE!_

He gritted his teeth and hung his head, abruptly closing out the video player and shutting down the computer. Throwing his bag over one shoulder, he looked once more at the collection of merchandise around his room celebrating the Symbol of Peace, then flipped the light switch and shut the door with a gentle click. "Yes, Mom, I'm going now," he said politely, making his way down the hallway.

Ms. Midoriya was hovering by the door like a plump, worried cloud, tugging at the fringe of her salmon-colored cardigan anxiously. Izuku slipped into his shoes, and she immediately grabbed him in a tight hug as he straightened up, knocking the wind out of his chest. "M-mom?"

She held him at arms' length, her eyes brimming with tears as she adjusted his uniform collar and tie. "I can't believe it... my baby is finally going to UA," she sniffled. "I'm so proud of you, Izuku... your father would be so proud."

Izuku offered her a small smile, with some difficulty. "I... I know, Mom," he said, thinking of the digital letter he'd received from UA with his acceptance letter, including a pre-recorded message from All Might that had been left in the hero's will.

The profuse apologies, the expression of the hero's regret at never being present in Izuku's life, not being around to help him develop and control his Quirk, were almost too much for Izuku to bear. As if he could ever hold any sort of grudge or ill will towards his hero? His _father_? It was like a dream come true... even if reality in a world without the Symbol of Peace was one filled with shattered dreams.

* * *

 **Izuku Midoriya**

 **Quirk: One for All**  
 **A power-enhancing quirk passed down for generations, One for All enables the bearer to tap into a cultivated pool of immense strength, pushing their physical capacities far beyond match.**

* * *

He would build a better world. A brighter world. "This is the start line," he murmured, aloud. Ms. Midoriya smiled, her tears spilling over, and hugged him again.

"So go! It's a marathon... not a sprint. I'll see you this evening."

Izuku looked back over his shoulder as he crossed the threshold. "Love you, Mom."

The sun gleamed intensely over scattered clouds, warming the autumn air to a comfortable degree. Izuku slipped his hands into his pockets as he walked down the street, giving the light breeze an appreciative smile.

His moment of peace was abruptly interrupted by a blaze of heat and noise erupting from the cross-street before him, and before he knew it, Izuku found himself pinned up against a lamppost.

"IDIOT!"

"K-k-kacchan?"

* * *

 **Katsuki Bakugo**

 **Quirk: Explosion  
His palms secrete a nitroglycerin-like substance that allows him to create combustion reactions at will. A quick temper paired with this Quirk makes him an overwhelming fighter.**

* * *

Katsuki curled his lip, bringing his face closer to Izuku's. "What the hell do you think you're doing, halfwit?"

"Going... to school?" Izuku squeaked.

Katsuki bristled visibly, his already spiky hair standing further on end. "I _knew_ you'd be fuckwitted enough to not think ahead." He let go of Izuku, dropping him roughly back on his feet before pulling out his own backpack, and threw a light hoodie at Izuku. "Put it on."

"But it's... not cold out."

"PUT IT ON!" Katsuki bellowed, smoke rising from his fingertips. "I didn't go through the trouble of putting on a show of shoving you around and making sure everyone 'knew' you're 'Quirkless' for nothing," he grumbled. "You walk up to UA looking like yourself, after blowing your cover and using your Quirk at the entrance exam, and you think everything will be fine?"

"O-oh." Izuku hadn't thought of that. "But I mean... I don't think I would have passed the entrance exam without my Quirk..." He dropped his backpack to the ground, and slipped the hoodie over his shoulders, drawing the soft hood up around his face. "It smells like Kacchan," he noted.

"SHUT UP." He found himself pinned to the lamppost again. Katsuki looked left and right, making sure no one was around, and then planted an abrupt, rough kiss on Izuku's lips. Izuku squeaked in surprise.

"K-kacchan!"

Katsuki snarled in Izuku's face. "I'm taking my dues now," he growled, "because we're not going to be any different at UA than we were in middle school. No one knows about us, got it? As far as everyone will know, we're _not even close to being friends,_ GOT IT?"

"Got it," Izuku said, red-faced.

"Now move on," Katsuki picked up his backpack and jerked his head towards the road. "I'm not walking you to school."

 _Kacchan never changed,_ Izuku thought, a spark of warmth growing in his heart as he continued on his way. He pulled the hood of the jacket he'd been given further over his forehead, inhaling the familiar scent of his partner.

But Katsuki was right — there was no reason to assume that people would be accepting of them at UA, so they'd might as well continue their act since middle school: Bakugo, top of his class and gifted with an amazing Quirk, constantly torturing and picking on poor, helpless, _Quirkless_ Midoriya. Everyone only assumed that it was true, and Izuku did nothing to prove the rumors wrong. And so the circumstances of his parentage were kept secret. At first, the agreement was just between childhood friends, but as they aged, Izuku and Katsuki had become much closer... and more than friends. In the dark void left in the wake of his father's loss, Katsuki had been Izuku's rock.

All the same, it was obvious that Katsuki enjoyed picking on Izuku in public. It was just his personality. It hurt Izuku to know that everyone around them thought poorly of Katsuki's attitude, because they didn't know the sides to him that Izuku did, but in his own words, Bakugo didn't give "a flying fuck" what other people think of him. Only Izuku mattered.

He rounded the corner, and the looming buildings of UA's campus and main gate came into sight. The press was everywhere, snapping pictures and talking excitedly about the first day for a brand new batch of budding heroes. He looked at the lines of reporters, hovering nervously, feeling oddly like being faced with a picket line.

A car pulled up on the main road in front of the school, and a figure stepped out, obscured by the vehicle. A din rose from the reporters, and they surged forwards towards the car, which drove away quickly. Izuku's eyes widened in understanding at the media's sudden interest as he caught sight of the person, with her distinctive black hair waving past her waist, and calm, even gait as she slipped her way through the reporters.

"What are you standing around for?" Katsuki's voice was accompanied by a hard shove on Izuku's back. "Get a move on, while she has them distracted."

"It's really her," Izuku said, his voice tiny with excitement. "Look, it's _definitely_ her!"

"Yeah, I see," Katsuki responded uninterestedly, watching the girl make painfully slow progress towards the school's gate. "Better her than you. Now scram, let's get in there."

* * *

— **Tamashini—**

"You made it!" A boy with dark silver hair and a distinctive lower jaw resembling a steel trap greeted her just within the front doors. She closed her eyes and let out a tiny exhale.

"I made it."

"Oh, c'mon, Kaida, can't you be at least a _little_ bit excited? It's the first day of school, damnit."

She looked at her lifelong friend, bemused at the smile that showed brightly in his shining eyes and the corners of his unusual mouth, accompanied by a small squeak of metal. "Don't let me dampen your spirits, Kaiketsu."

* * *

 **Kaiketsu Hagane**

 **Quirk: Jaws of Steel  
The lower half of his face is composed of a set of super-steel jaws that can grip and break **_**anything**._ **The inside of his body behaves like a forge, melding his skeleton with the same metal, which he can channel into claws and other external armaments.**

* * *

"Just wish you'd cheer up a little." Kaiketsu shrugged.

"My father drove me here," Kaida said, slipping her shoes into a locker and replacing them with formal ones from her bag. "It wasn't so bad. I'm used to the press being all over our estate anyhow."

"Yeah, I know. At least they can't bug you in here, right?"

"Yeah." She closed the locker, and he led her up the stairs to the classrooms.

"I'm right here," he said, stopping outside the door labeled 1-B, and pointed down the hall, "and 1-A is right down there. You know where to find me."

Kaida looked down the hall where he'd pointed, and nodded, ignoring the wide-eyed whispers coming from the students milling about the halls. "All right. I'll see you later."

He gave her a nonchalant wave and disappeared into his classroom, and she watched him go before turning and heading towards her own. The whispering around her made the sound of her shoes on the tiled floor sound loud and echoing, but she determinedly set her eyes straight ahead, pulling the door to the classroom open and entering without hesitation.

There were already a few other students in the classroom — a boy with a shock of yellow hair, a wild-looking one with red hair, a girl with short-cropped black hair, a pink-skinned girl, and a floating school uniform. They were all crowded together at one corner of the room, chattering excitedly amongst one another. When she entered, the yellow-haired boy looked up at her and his mouth opened in an O of surprise, but when the girl with the short hair beside him noticed Kaida as well, she grabbed the boy by the chin and turned his face away. "Don't stare like that, Kaminari, that's rude," she tutted.

Kaida looked at the desks before her. They were numbered, 1 through 20, with a small etching in the upper-left corner. _I'm number 20, if memory serves correctly..._ she wound her way to the back of the room, counting desks as she went, until she found her seat. She noticed another person seated at the back, in seat 15, next to hers.

He looked up as she approached, placing her bag on her desk. He had distinctive, heterochromatic eyes — one blue, one grey, — and his hair was red on one side and white on the other. Kaida's eyes trailed over his left side.

"You're Endeavor's son, aren't you?" she said. "I've heard a lot about you."

The boy flinched visibly. "...Yes, I am. And I, you," he added coolly, "The other person accepted to UA through recommendations. The new Elysium."

"Sure." Kaida swept her hair over her shoulders as she took her seat.

"Strange to meet you in person," the boy said, gladly steering the conversation away from parentage. She wondered at his discomfort. "It will be interesting to work with you."

"Are you always so formal?" Kaida cracked an amused smile. "Interesting is one word for it, I suppose. Having grown up constantly hearing about the importance of the Top Three heroes, and how essential their cooperative work is, drilled into my mind... it's been a long time coming."

"Hm."

People had been steadily streaming in as they'd talked, but at that moment, a wiry boy with curly green hair slipped into the room, and a collective gasp arose from the other students. "IT'S MIDORIYA!"

"Eh?" The boy squeaked and backed up, but another student was entering, a sour expression on his face, and pushed the first boy into the room.

 _That's_ him? _That's All Might's son?_ Kaida looked at him in disbelief.

"So all three of us, in the same class..." the boy beside her commented.

"I wouldn't be surprised if it was by design. All of us have a lot to live up to... a lot to prove."

"I'm here to disprove," the boy muttered. Kaida looked at him curiously. She heard a familiar resonant voice in her mind.

" _You'll have to learn more about this one."_

 _Shut up,_ she thought, dismissing it coldly. She turned her attention to the front of the classroom, where the other students were mobbing Midoriya. It was a blessing, she supposed, that her family's reputation preceded her as one to respect, rather than idolize. All Might's son, on the other hand...

* * *

— **Midoriya—**

"Curly-hair! From the entrance exam!" The short-haired girl bounced up and down excitedly. Izuku reddened.

"I-it's Izuku," he stammered.

"Mhm," the girl grinned. She pointed at herself. "Uraraka Ochaco~," she announced.

* * *

 **Ochaco Uraraka**

 **Quirk: Zero Gravity  
She can nullify the gravitational pull on any object she touches, making it float until she chooses to release it. Overusing her quirk makes her nauseous, though.**

* * *

"MIDORIYA-KUN." A tall boy pushed his way to the front of the small crowd, pushing his glasses up. "I want to firmly apologize... for underestimating you before the entrance exam. I did not realize who you were — and you exceeded me in realizing that there was that extra component to the exam."

"Oh," Izuku managed. "Erm. Don't worry about it, I suppose. First impressions aren't always right."

"Mm." The boy nodded firmly. "Iida Tenya, at your service."

* * *

 **Tenya Iida**

 **Quirk: Engine  
He possesses powerful engines in his calves that allow him to move very fast and amplify the power of his legs. **

* * *

"Sit."

Everyone looked with surprise at the sound of the voice from the front of the classroom. A yellow lump of a figure emerged from behind the desk and podium, sitting upright slowly. With the loud sound of a zipper being pulled, a dark-haired, haggard man stepped out of his sleeping bag and regarded the students with bloodshot eyes.

"Eh? Was he here all along?" Kirishima looked at the man in disbelief.

" _Find your seats,"_ the man grumbled, and the students shuffled haphazardly to their spots.

"Okay... good." The man cleared his throat, and tipped his head back, dropping a few eye drops into each of his eyes before continuing. "Class 1-A: I am Shota Aizawa, and I will be your homeroom teacher." There were scattered squeals of excitement, whispers of Mr. Aizawa's hero name: _Eraser Head! It's Eraser Head!_

Aizawa's bloodshot eyes wandered the classroom. "It seems we're all here... but for sake of protocol, I'll go through roll call."

" _Aoyama, Yuga."_

" _Present~_ "

" _Ashido, Mina."_

"Here!"

" _Asui, Tsuyu."_

"Ribbit."

" _Iida, Tenya."_

"Present!"

" _Uraraka, Ochaco."_

"Here!"

" _Ojiro, Mashirao."_

"Here."

" _Kaminari, Denki."_

"Ready to roll!"

" _Kirishima, Eijiro."_

"Here!"

" _Koda, Koji."_

"..."

At the silence, Aizawa looked up, and noted Koda timidly lifting his hand in the air. He raised an eyebrow, but nodded in acknowledgement.

" _Sato, Rikido."_

"Here."

" _Shoji, Mezo."_

"Here."

" _Jiro, Kyoka."_

"Here."

" _Sero, Hanata."_

"Here!"

" _Tokoyami, Fumikage."_

"Present."

" _Todoroki, Shoto."_

"Here."

" _Hagakure, Toru."_

"Here!" A floating school uniform bounced in its seat.

" _Bakugo, Katsuki."_

"Yeah, here."

" _Midoriya, Izuku."_

"Yes! Here!"

" _Mineta, Minoru."_

"Here!"

"...and _Tamashini, Kaida_."

"Here."

Aizawa shuffled his papers, putting the roll call sheet to the side, and rested his hands on the podium. "Good. So... welcome to UA. We'll be starting our first day today with an examination – not unlike the physical fitness tests that you certainly took in middle school."

"A test? On the first day?" Mineta squealed, clutching at the sides of his round head anxiously.

 _That's UA for you,_ Izuku thought to himself, filled with enthusiasm.

The teacher frowned at the interruption, but continued. "But _unlike_ the assessments you've previously completed... this time, you'll be allowed to use your Quirks as much as you'd like." Murmurs of excitement broke out across the classroom. "Now... you'll find your PE uniforms sorted out in those lockers—" he pointed, "—along the wall. Go pick them up, and then I'll show you to the field area and changing rooms."

* * *

— **Todoroki—**

Shoto looked at his left hand. He distantly heard his classmates cheering one another on, whooping in appreciation at the flashy shows that everyone was putting on with letting loose their Quirks. He clenched the hand into a fist, and stuffed it in his pocket. _No. It won't help me much here, anyway._

"Tamashini. Long jump." Shoto looked up as Aizawa called his classmate's name, and she stepped up to the short runway leading up to the sand-bed. Her hair had been pulled up into a sweeping ponytail, trailing down her back.

Shoto had heard and seen much about Kaida on the news and from his father, especially in the recent years since the death of Kaida's mother, the legendary Divine Dragon Hero: Elysium. Since her murder followed All Might's passing, Shoto's father, Endeavor, was now the number one hero, a fact that he wielded with _great_ pride. Shoto's mood soured at the thought of his father, and he turned his attention back to the present.

Kaida had her hands on her knees as she bent in preparation for the short sprint and leap. Shoto felt a prickle of interest; he'd never seen the Divine Dragon Quirk in person. Aizawa gave a nod, and the girl took off.

She was incredibly athletic for her lithe build, and accelerated rapidly across the short distance. But she launched at the jump line, sailed through the air, and landed in the sand — without so much as a hint of a flare or transformation. Shoto frowned.

"4.82 meters." Aizawa made a note on his clipboard.

Well above average, but not exceptional. Shoto himself had managed 9.38 meters, by making a short slide and ramp out of ice, like a little ski jump. Others, like Bakugo and Aoyama, used their Quirks to propel themselves all the way across the sand pit.

Kaida picked herself up and made her way off to the side. She caught Shoto looking at her, and her eyes narrowed curiously. They were lambent blue, and seemed to hold an inner light, like frost in the morning. He looked away, conscious of his staring.

His curiosity wasn't satisfied for the rest of the tests either, though. At the end of it, the students gathered around their teacher as he projected the cumulative final results on a hologram for the class to see, met with mixed shouts of accomplishment and miserable grumbles.

 **1 – Izuku Midoriya**  
 **2 – Tenya Iida**  
 **3 – Katsuki Bakugo**  
 **4 – Shoto Todoroki**  
 **5 – Kaida Tamashini**

His eyebrows lifted in surprise. Even without her Quirk, she managed to place in the top 5, just below him? He looked around. To be fair, some peoples' Quirks weren't particularly helpful in a physical fitness test...

 **18 – Kyoka Jiro**  
 **19 –Toru Hagakure**  
 **20 – Minoru Mineta**

"You're all dismissed for lunch," Aizawa nodded, closing out the hologram. "Be back in the classroom this afternoon by the bell, please.

* * *

— **Tamashini—**

She frowned at Kaiketsu. "Really?"

"Yes, really," he gave her a thumbs-up. "We're working on being normal here, right? So go sit with your class and make friends. Huddling up in the corner with a freak like me won't do you any good."

"But you're not huddled up in a corner..." Kaida looked over to the table where Kaiketsu was sitting, where a few other boys were chattering away.

"Exactly." He patted her on the shoulder. "Now go over and buddy up with Class A." He turned and went to sit down without another word.

Kaida sighed, and walked around the partition to the other side of the first-year eating area, where the rest of Class A had situated themselves. They were clumped up at tables together already — she saw Midoriya being beckoned over to a window seat by Iida and Uraraka, a bunch of the girls crowded around a long table... and picked out an empty booth for herself.

She set her tray down and took a sip of her lemon tea, then pulled her phone out to check for new messages. Surely enough, _four_ from her father.

 _"Hope you made it in okay!"_  
 _"Hope you're having a nice morning!"_  
 _"Hope you're making lots of friends!"_  
 _"Hope you're eating a healthy lunch!"_

She rolled her eyes, and tapped out a short reply. _"I'm doing alright."_

A _plunk_ caught her attention, and she looked up as a tray of cold soba was set down beside her. She looked up and saw Todoroki pointing at the seat across from her.

"Anyone sitting here?"

Kaida hesitated, the straw dangling from her mouth, but pulled her tray back to make room for him. "Go ahead."

He nodded. "Thanks."

"So what makes me more appealing than the gaggle of other girls, or the cohort of boys, or Midoriya's little triumvirate?" Kaida smirked as he slid into the booth opposite her.

"I'm not terribly sociable. This is the least occupied table."

"Fair enough," she replied with a shrug. "Same reason I claimed it in the first place." Content to sit in silence, she swirled her chopsticks around in her udon soup and took a bite.

"I'm sorry if I was too formal or... cold, before." Todoroki mixed scallions into the soba sauce, looking intently at his food. Kaida looked up as he spoke, and he brought his gaze up, offering her a small bow. "...Todoroki Shoto. It's good to meet you."

"That's not helping your case of formality," she laughed, but returned his bow with a smile. "Kaida. Just Kaida, if you don't mind. I don't need to be constantly reminded by _everyone_ of being a Tamashini."

"I can understand the sentiment," he murmured. "If... you don't mind me commenting, you don't seem terribly enthused to be here."

She sat back in her seat. "What gives you that idea?"

"Why didn't you use your Quirk in the assessment? It's meant to be a _Quirk_ Assessment, isn't it?"

"Why didn't you use your left?" she countered. "Half-Cold, Half-Hot, isn't it?"

Todoroki frowned.

* * *

 **Shoto Todoroki**

 **Quirk: Half-Cold, Half-Hot  
He can produce and control ice from his right side, and heat and flames from his left.**

* * *

"Personal reasons."

"Same here," Kaida said. "It's my assessment, not the dragon's. Were you hoping for a demonstration?" She leaned across the table and put a finger to a fading bruise on his right cheekbone, a few shades lighter than the scar across his left face. Before he could flinch back in surprise, a soft glow emanated from her fingertips, and the bruising faded. She rubbed away the throb on her own face. Todoroki touched the spot, noting what she had done, and she continued, "It's not like that, or this—" she said dryly, lighting a small blue-white flame in her palm, "—would have done any good for me in the assessment. And that's all I lay claim to myself."

"You don't... claim your Quirk?" Todoroki looked at her in surprise.

"That's a rather personal question, isn't it?" Kaida felt conscious of rambling on, and was glad she didn't catch any stares from neighboring tables.

"...Sorry." He looked down at his soba again.

"It's fine," she said immediately. "We'll be colleagues soon enough, so we'll be getting to know each other one way or another eventually. Just a little soon today."

Todoroki nodded. "Right. That's understandable."

Kaida returned to her meal, feeling him staring at her again, but didn't acknowledge or comment.

The lunch hour passed quickly, and the rest of the day followed suit. She soon found herself changing shoes again at the lockers, as students streamed out the front doors.

"Kaiketsu," she stuck her head around the corner, "if you don't hurry up, you're not getting a ride home."

"I'm _hurrying,_ " he grumbled, pushing his locker shut.

"See you tomorrow, Hagane-kun!" Another boy clapped Kaiketsu on the back and grinned, baring a row of razor-sharp teeth.

"Later, Tetsutetsu," he lifted a hand.

"Making friends seems to have been successful," Kaida commented.

Kaiketsu shrugged. "He's an incredibly eager dude. A bit of a contagious personality."

"Tamashini!" She heard someone calling her name from behind, and turned just in time to see Midoriya trip over his own foot and careen forwards. Before he could hit the ground, his body froze in midair. Uraraka pulled him backwards onto his feet and put her hands on her hips.

"It's bad luck to trip on your first day!" She tutted.

"U-uh, yeah," Midoriya stuttered.

Uraraka grinned. "Anyway, are you walking home? Iida and I will walk with you!"

"R-really?"

Kaida wondered briefly at what Midoriya wanted, but chose the distraction as an opportunity to slip off. "Come on," she tugged on Kaiketsu's sleeve. "My father's waiting."

She was relieved to see that the press had been driven off at some point during the day, and the area just past the gates of UA's campus was only filled with departing students. Her father's black Mercedes was pulled up in front, right by the curb. She got in the front seat, and Kaiketsu piled into the back.

Her father looked in the rear view mirror at the backseat. "Hagane-kun, always good to see you!"

"You too, Kirisaki-san."

As she buckled her seatbelt, her father ruffled her hair. "Did you have a good first day, sweetheart?"

"I'm a little tired," she said, and leaned her head against the window. She caught sight of a red-and-white haired boy walking down the block. "Let's go."

* * *

 **Kaida Tamashini**

 **Quirk: Divine Dragon  
In her human form, her Quirk allows her to produce flames and emit a healing aura, but she takes on the pain of those she heals. With the spirit of the ancient celestial dragon now living within her, she can also assume a dragon form. **

* * *

Next Chapter: Origins

* * *

AN: Hey, thanks for reading! This fic is the brainchild of myself and the friend who introduced me to My Hero Academia. The long-term destination is yet unknown, but the ride has begun! I'm looking for a darker take AU on the Boku no Hero Academia story. If some things are a little confusing, they should get cleared up in the next couple of chapters — or you can feel free to drop me any questions/feedback in a review!


	2. II: Origins

**Chapter Two: Origins**

* * *

— **Midoriya—**

 _Ten Years Ago_

"Kacchan... can I tell you a secret?" Izuku kicked at the woodchips, sitting at the lip of the playground area in the park.

"Only if I'm the only one who gets to know," Katsuki said. He was sitting on the swings, propelling himself forwards and backwards with little explosions from his palms.

"Well... yeah. And you can't tell anyone else."

"Stupid, it's not a secret if I go telling everyone, is it?"

"Y-yeah," Izuku put his chin in his hands, and drew his little knees up to his chest.

"Well, what?"

"So..." Izuku looked around, making sure no one was nearby. "You know how my dad—"

Katsuki groaned, jumping off of the swing and landing heavily in front of Izuku to scowl in his face. "Is this another fanboy moment? I like All Might as much as everyone else with eyes, but aren't you supposed to not be bragging about that? Your mom said that _that's_ a secret."

"It's a _different_ secret," Izuku shuffled his feet, burying them in the woodchips.

"Stop talking about telling me the secret and just TELL ME!"

"I got my Quirk."

Katsuki folded his arms. "So are you able to grab the TV remote without leaving the couch like your ma, or are you gonna be able to stand up for yourself now?"

"I was trying to jump up and get a snack from a high shelf in the kitchen and I couldn't jump high enough, and then I suddenly went ZOOM and knocked a hole in the ceiling with my head," Izuku rubbed a band-aid on his forehead for effect.

"Your dad's Quirk, then." Katsuki huffed.

"Kacchan, no one is supposed to know," Izuku wrung his hands together nervously. "It's such an obvious and flashy Quirk and I don't know how to use it or use it properly, and if people find out they'll start asking questions, and then maybe Mom and I will have to move away someplace or something—"

"Yain't allowed to move away!"

"I don't _want_ to, I'm just saying that if people find out, then..."

"So no one finds out," Katsuki shrugged, and sat down next to Izuku. "You're such a scrawny little dork, and everyone else already has had their Quirks for a couple years now... you could tell people you're Quirkless. Make up some little fibs about being checked out by a doctor or something."

"But... you're always picking on Quirkless kids. Won't it seem funny if I'm hanging out with you?"

"So don't hang out with me."

Izuku's heart sank. "But you're my best friend..."

"And _you're a loser_ – fun facts _._ " Katsuki gave Izuku a shove. "...I have an easy enough time finding things to pick on you about as it is. It won't be hard to make your 'Quirkless' declaration believable. And we can still hang out and stuff, just not in school."

"You'd... really do that for me?"

"Isn't that what friends are supposed to do? Take care of each other?" Katsuki scowled harder. "It's not a big deal. Just don't mess it up, okay?"

* * *

 _Three Years Ago_

"Izuku? Kacchan is here to see you."

He rolled over, pressing his face into his pillows. "I don't want to see anyone, I told you already, Mom."

"What was that? I couldn't hear you..."

Izuku sat up, rubbing his reddened eyes, and shouted at the closed door, "I _said,_ I DON'T WANT TO SEE ANYONE!"

"Like HELL you don't," the door exploded open, and Katsuki stormed in, slamming it behind him. He folded his arms and stood at the center of Izuku's room. "Too bad. I'm here."

 _I am here!_

Izuku's face crumpled, and he buried his head in his knees, the tears welling up again. Katsuki seemed to realize what he'd said.

"...Fuck, sorry," he muttered.

"It – it doesn't feel real," Izuku whimpered. "He can't be gone just like that."

"No one's untouchable," Katsuki said. "Even the best of the best... in the end, All Might is mortal just like the rest of us."

"I only got to meet him once. Can you imagine never meeting your dad except once?!"

"No, I can't. No one should have to. But that's how it is – there's no point in imagining life a way that wasn't, or can't be. Imagine your future, focus on that." He walked over and sat heavily on the edge of the bed, pulling the blanket off of Izuku. "...Come here."

Izuku looked up, teary-eyed, and was surprised to see Katsuki holding an arm out towards him, a scowl still etched on his face. "Huh?"

Katsuki rolled his eyes, and scooched over, yanking Izuku and tucking him under his arm, resting the green-haired boy's head on Katsuki's shoulder. Katsuki squeezed Izuku tightly. "You just look _forwards_ , you hear me? There's a whole world out there waiting for you once you put yourself out there... your dad's legacy is a hell of a lot to wrap your head around, but you're not gonna be alone. I made a promise, remember? I'm gonna be _the_ top hero when we grow up, so don't worry about it."

"What if we're not together 'when we grow up?'" Izuku murmured, looking down at his red-and-blue rug.

"You better do your best to make sure that we are," Katsuki growled. "Work your ass off, get into UA – we'll be the first from our shithole of a middle school to get in. Both of us."

"I don't even know how to use One For All. How can I avenge him if I don't even know how to use his Quirk?"

"That's what UA's for, idiot," Katsuki ruffled Izuku's hair. "And you and I will start training... we can go out to the woods where no one's around and mess around until you start to get a hang of things."

Izuku turned his face towards Katsuki's collarbone, indulging in the rare show of affection and comfort, which only ever happened in private. "This is... even more reason to keep fighting on," he said. "No one is safe... not everyone can be saved – but that's why the world needs heroes, right?"

"Yeah."

* * *

— **Tamashini—**

 _Three Years Ago_

"Akira... it's good to see you again."

She narrowed her eyes, blue-and-white flames wreathing around her hands. "We're not on a first-name basis, All For One."

The man laughed. "Are we not? That's too bad. You'd think that after all this time, we'd be beyond trivial social things like that. But you're not here for conversation, clearly."

She looked around at the hints of carnage beneath the rubble of the building, scattered all around them. A human limb, here and there; pools of blood welling up from between piles of plaster.

"It ends today."

"Does it? That seemed to be your belief a few months ago as well. All Might's conviction was strong and yet... heh. So now you try your luck alone."

A burst of light and fire swirled around her, and he stared into the blaze boldly as her human form disappeared into the light. A pair of opalescent wings flared and the dragon came shooting out of the visual occlusion, knocking All For One back into one of the surviving pillars.

" _You said it yourself — I'm not here to talk."_ He heard her voice echo in his mind.

"Have it your way... Elysium."

He pressed his palm against the pillar and it crumbled to dust behind him, letting him slip out of her talons. She snapped her jaws at him, but the closed on empty air, as he leapt up above her, and swung a fist at the side of her head. Her neck whipped to the side from the force of the impact, and she roared, shaking her head from side to side. She barely managed to avoid the spear-like appendage that buried itself in the ground beside her, as All For One tried to take advantage of her brief stunned moment. Three more followed after it, and she took to the air, weaving around them.

A sudden pressure in the air forced her to the ground, as if a weight had been slammed on her back. _Atmospheric Compression._ She remembered the hero he'd taken it from. With limited mobility, she had to end it quickly.

All For One was floating down through the air before her, his face a mask of composure. He lifted his hand, and the rubble around them started to rise into the air, metal piping and supports tearing through the concrete as they formed a floating sphere around the two. He snapped his fingers, and the field of debris hurtled towards her.

She gathered her strength in her legs and leapt up to meet it.

 _Divine Dragon — Supernova._

The metal in the air was blasted away, shooting off into the sky as little more than flecks of dust. The area around them was left little more than a crater, stretching most of the way down the city block. Close to the edge, the man was on his knees. It would have wiped out any other person, but with his Shock Absorption, he was able to withstand the force... barely.

She flew to him, closing the distance in two wing-beats, and sank her claws into his chest, feeling his blood pool up, his broken body pinned under her foot. He coughed.

"So that was your trump card... a last resort, when there's nothing left to lose? You could have maybe saved All Might if you'd revealed that power earlier..."

" _And have killed everyone else,"_ she said coldly. _"Your life is the only one I'm interested in taking... in recompense for the horrors you've wrought on this world."_

He chuckled weakly, blood trailing out of the corner of his mouth. "How apt... and self-righteous. I feel sorry for you, Akira; you're no more than a tool to Elysium."

She hissed in his face. _"I told you not to—"_ Her eyes widened, and she was cut off by a sickening crunch.

Sharp tendrils, glowing black and red, pierced her side, extending from All For One's fingertips. "Forcible Quirk Activation," he rasped.

The dragon was engulfed by light again, and she felt herself dwindling back down, until she was just a lithe woman, crouched over her prone enemy. A soft glow pulsed from her fingers on his chest, and incredible pain ripped through her. She screamed as his wounds knitted back together, every broken bone realigning in a series of clicks and gruesome sounds.

He drew a deep breath, climbing to his feet as she crumpled to the ground. "Such a gift, your healing powers. A pity I have no use for them – with the obvious drawbacks." He looked down at her shaking frame. She could barely see, barely held on to consciousness under the weight of the agony that he'd passed to her. Somewhere in the recesses of her mind, she could hear the dragon roaring her name.

She was dimly aware of him kneeling by her head, and whispering in her ear: "Can you hear me, dragon? You'll get another chance, I assume. Eventually." He chuckled to himself. "I'll make it quick, since you managed to impress me. You fought well, Akira."

Then he snapped her neck, and left her on the street.

* * *

 _Present-Day_

Kaida bolted upright in bed, clutching the sheets to her chest. _Damn it._ That same nightmare again.

It was never as vivid as the night her mother died, and she relived the whole scene as the dragon's spirit passed on to her, but the images were still horrible and haunting.

" _Peace. Leave the dead to the past."_

 _If_ you _would give me a moment's peace, I'd appreciate that,_ she snapped back.

She felt Elysium's irritation at her attitude. _"There will be peace when you've earned it, Tamashini."_

Kaida threw the covers aside and swung her legs off of the side of her bed, grinding her teeth slightly. The hardwood floors were chilly, the metal doorknob even colder. She went down the hallway to the bathroom, staring sullenly at her reflection in the mirror as she washed up. As she ran a brush through her long hair, she heard the sound of a car pulling up in the driveway. She glanced at her phone — the time was 10:13. _Shit. I need to hurry._

Dressing quickly and heading downstairs, she met her father as he was coming through the front door, multiple bags of groceries in both hands. "Good morning, Kaida," he smiled, and dropped them all to give her a hug. "I wasn't expecting you to still be home."

"I wasn't expecting it to be so late," she returned his embrace, and bent to help him with the bags. "Could you give me a ride? I won't make it on time if I call for the driver."

"Of course. Let's get these into the kitchen, and we'll head out. Wouldn't want to keep Enji-san waiting." He lifted his hands to the remaining bags on the ground, and they floated over to his open palms.

* * *

 **Shinji Kirisaki**

 **Quirk: Recall  
He can telekinetically draw any object to him that he has touched in the last minute. Only works over short distances.**

* * *

"...'Enji-san?'" Kaida gave her father a dubious look as he started throwing things haphazardly into the refrigerator. "Does he know you call him that?"

"Of course not, he'd never let me interact with him so informally," he laughed. "But didn't you mention he's moving your training sessions to his estate? Seems like a personable move. Inviting you into his home, and whatnot."

"It's not like I'm going over for brunch, Dad."

"Still! And didn't you mention you're classmates with his son? Moving this relationship in a cordial direction can't hurt anyone."

Kaida sighed, and folded away the grocery bags before going upstairs to get her bag. "Sure."

The drive over was short and uneventful, traffic being light and the weather amicable. Her father pulled up the grand driveway to the traditional-style Japanese mansion, and whistled. "Should we remodel like this? It's quite impressive."

"We don't need a house like this, Dad," Kaida pulled the car door handle and slung her bag over her shoulder. "It's just the two of us. They're a pretty big family."

"Mmm, I suppose." He stuck his head out the window and gave her a thumbs-up as she exited the car. "See you tonight!"

"Drive safely."

She watched as he drove off, reversing a bit before turning the car around and rolling out of sight. Then she turned and looked up at the towering mansion before her, drew a deep breath, and knocked on the door.

The sound of bare footsteps on tatami approached before the door opened, revealing a timid-looking woman with red-streaked white hair. She pushed her glasses up. "Oh you must be Tamashini-chan. My father's been expecting—"

"Thank you, Fuyumi, you can move along now." The door opened fully, a burly man dominating the frame. He looked down at the woman and she scurried off without another word. Kaida gave him a small bow.

"Endeavor-san."

"Come in," he beckoned her inside, and she took off her shoes and followed him down the hall. The interior was minimalistically decorated, but still gave off the same grandiose air as the estate from the outside. "I thought it best we start training here instead of at the other location to save you some travel time, now that your studies have started."

"I appreciate your consideration," Kaida murmured.

"My training room here is well-equipped and spacious enough for our needs... and thoroughly fire-proofed." He stopped by a large set of double sliding doors, and pressed a button on the wall to open them.

The room beyond was huge, with a vaulted ceiling and spanning easily the entire length of the back of the house. Rows of thick wooden pillars were arranged in a familiar circular formation on one end of the room, while the other two-thirds consisted of an open area.

Endeavor clipped on his gauntlets and pulled his gloves over his hands, and Kaida set her bag down by the side of the door. "We'll begin with more work on your flame control in your current form, before we move on to some endurance training." He looked over at her. "How long have you managed to hold the dragon form in your work at UA?"

Kaida grimaced. "I... haven't used it yet at school. I didn't feel like the first week's assessments called for it."

Her mentor scowled. "You should be taking every opportunity that you can to condition yourself, Tamashini."

"We're supposedly starting combat training next week," Kaida stretched her arms behind her back. "There won't be much of a way around it then."

"Good. We'll push you today — let's try for an hour and a half. Then we'll work on pain threshold for your healing aura."

Kaida closed her eyes. "...Alright."

* * *

— **Todoroki—**

 _The manifestation of Quirks is thought to originate from the rising primordial forces as a result of the battle between the celestial dragon, Elysium, and the chaos dragon, Erebus. Ultimately, Erebus was defeated, his essence sealed through the full extent of Elysium's power – causing such a disturbance in the natural forces that mutations in humans began to appear, starting with the glowing baby recorded in_

"That should be a comma, not a dash," Fuyumi peered over Shoto's shoulder, pointing at his screen.

He stared at his sister, mildly irritated, and made the edit. "I told you I'd ask for proofreading help when I need it," he muttered.

"Is this essay due tomorrow?"

"Yeah," Shoto kept hammering at his keyboard. "It's not so bad. Writing about an interesting topic makes the process more tolerable."

"Mhm," Fuyumi nodded. "Well, at any rate, I came up to let you know dinner's almost ready."

"Oh. I'll help you set the table." Shoto stood up, saved his document, and turned off his monitor.

Fuyumi headed downstairs, Shoto close behind, but he paused in the hallway on the way to the dining room, looking down the hall at a bright flash of light through the training room door. He frowned. "Doesn't Dad go out to work on Sundays?"

When he didn't get a response, he saw that Fuyumi was already rounding the corner into the kitchen. Curiosity tugged at him, and he went the opposite way, opening the door to the training room.

He saw his father standing in the center of the room, arms folded across his chest as he looked down with a condescending expression. At his feet, a girl was on her hands and knees, visibly trembling. Her black hair fell like a curtain over her face.

Endeavor bent down and pulled her upright roughly, and she swayed dangerously before slumping back to the ground. "Hmph," he sighed. "I suppose we're done for the day, then." He looked up and saw his son standing bewildered in the doorway. "Shoto. Help her out, I'm going to get changed."

The girl looked up, and Shoto recognized her face as his father brushed past him. "Kaida...?" He gave Endeavor's back a venomous glance as his father disappeared down the hallway, then turned and went to Kaida's side. "What are you doing here?"

"I... I've been training with your father for a while," she breathed heavily, and sat back, eyes half-closed. "Since before classes started, and now just on the weekends."

Looking at her, weak and exhausted, Shoto had a flashback to his own time in that very room, from his early childhood, and he felt old anger bubbling up within him. "He's working you too hard," he muttered.

"No... I need this," she shook her head, and stood, with great difficulty. Shoto grabbed her arm to steady her. "I'm fine."

"You don't look fine," he said disbelievingly. "Is someone picking you up?"

"I can call my driver," she looked over at her belongings in the corner, where her cell phone rested on top of her bag.

"Sit back down for a while," Shoto tugged her slightly, and she obsequiently slid back to the floor. He brought her things over to her, and she murmured a word of thanks before dialing a number and lifting the phone to her ear.

"...Yeah, I'm ready. Ten minutes? Okay. I'll be waiting outside."

"It's raining," he said as she hung up.

"That's fine," she shrugged, and got up again. He grabbed her bag for her before she could fall over trying to pick it up. "I need the fresh air."

"...I'll wait with you, then."

Soon, they were standing outside the estate's large gate, as Kaida leaned heavily against the wall and Shoto held a large umbrella for both of them. She stared silently at the ground, her usually luminescent eyes dull and empty.

"What kind of training do you do?" He asked, cautiously.

She looked up at him. "...some simple things, like controlling the breadth and intensity of my flames. And more importantly, he's helping me condition my fortitude to withstand the transformation... I can't hold my alternate form for very long. I don't know if my mother had this problem, but manifesting the dragon form seems to drain me."

"Drain you? How?"

"Exhaustion, mainly. On bad days, I've passed out. Ended up in the hospital once."

"Are you kidding?" He gripped the umbrella roughly. _My father shouldn't be the one working with her... he's going to drive her past her limits._

"That's why I chose to work with Endeavor," she said, addressing his unspoken thoughts. "Aside from being the number one hero... he's known for his ruthlessness. I spent two years after acquiring the larger part of my power barely able to use it, but since I was accepted to UA, I decided it's time to make a change."

"Trust me, I know firsthand how brutal he can be," Shoto muttered. "...You should be careful." Kaida didn't respond.

A black car pulled up, and Kaida lifted a hand towards the driver, who nodded at her. She hauled herself off of the wall, and Shoto passed her the bag as she climbed into the car. She paused for a moment, and tipped her head in a small bow towards him. "Thanks, Todoroki. See you tomorrow."

* * *

 _ **Next Chapter: Primer**_

* * *

Hopefully this clears some things up about the AU ^^; Thanks for reading, leave a review!


	3. III: Primer

**Chapter Three: Primer**

* * *

 **—Midoriya—**

Even just one week in, Bakugo was constantly griping about the monotony and unremarkable nature of their morning classes at UA. Izuku, on the other hand, found them to be a reprieve from the world of heroes and villains that they were beginning to dive into. Taking a few hours each morning to study English and history were reminiscent of middle school life, the ordinary life of ordinary people — which would soon be far behind them.

The bell rang for lunch, and Mr. Aizawa set his chalk down on the ledge. "Pass your report papers forward before you head out." He bent down behind the front podium and picked up his yellow sleeping bag, rolling it up.

Behind Izuku, Mineta whined thinly. "Damnit... I was hoping he forgot," he plopped his head down on his desk in despair, the round balls on his head wobbling emphatically.

* * *

 **Minoru Mineta**

 **Quirk: Pop Off  
He can produce and pull sticky, ball-shaped objects from his head. Their adhesive properties depend on his overall health, on a day-to-day basis.**

* * *

"You... didn't do the report?" Izuku blinked. "But we had a whole week to finish it!"

"Shut up, Midoriya," Mineta wailed, his voice muffled by the desk.

In the background, Tamashini had stood and tossed her bag over her shoulder. She stepped past Mineta's desk and set her paper, in a neat presentation folder, in front of Izuku. "Thanks," she said, squeezing past Jiro and Shoji and out the classroom. Izuku watched her go. _A full week already, and I haven't gotten a chance to talk to her,_ he thought regretfully. _Maybe I'll be able to catch her at lunch._

Loud, impatient foot-tapping caught his attention.

"DEKU. Paper? I'm fucking hungry, you're keeping me waiting."

"Sorry, Kacchan," Izuku jumped slightly, and ruffled through his bag to retrieve his own homework assignment. Katsuki scooped up Tamashini's paper and snatched Izuku's out of his hands with a _hmph,_ and turned to the floating school uniform seated at the front of their row. He held out the stack of papers and Hagakure's sleeve reached out towards him, but then the papers went fluttering to the floor.

"O-oh! I didn't grab them yet," her voice chirped apologetically. Bakugo rolled his eyes and went around the other way, leaving her to pick them up. Izuku sighed, and stood up to help the invisible girl with the mess. "Aw, thanks, Midoriya!" Izuku saw the collar of her uniform crinkle as she tipped her head to the side, thanking him.

He made his way down to the cafeteria, and resolved to at least say hello and properly introduce himself to Tamashini. But after purchasing his rice and pork cutlet, he saw her usual seat empty. Todoroki looked up as Izuku approached the corner table, surprised to see him there.

"Midoriya. Need something?"

"Yeah, um," Izuku tipped his head to the empty seat. "Do you know where Tamashini-chan is?"

Todoroki shrugged. "Why would I know?"

"Well... you're always sitting here with her, so I figured you're... friends, or something."

"Hm." Todoroki seemed to pause and ponder on that for a moment, thoughtfully stirring a bit more wasabi into his dipping sauce. "...you could ask Hagane," he said finally, pointing over to the area where Class B was eating. "He's an old friend of hers."

"Right," Izuku wondered what was on Todoroki's mind, but decided to stay on task. "Thanks, Todoroki-kun."

He stepped around the mess of tables and chairs, catching a questioning stare from Bakugo as he walked past, and crossed over to Class B's eating area, and approached the table awkwardly.

The boy Todoroki had pointed out looked up at Izuku. In spite of his striking jaw and orange irises, which glowed like heated metal, there was nothing inhospitable about his glance. "Yo."

"Hey – uh, Hagane-kun, right?"

He nodded, slinging his arm over the back of his chair. "Yeah. What's up?"

Before Izuku could reply, another boy across the table leaned over and leered at him. "Ohh, would you look at this? Midoriya coming to _grace_ us with his presence? What are you doing over here with us _lowly_ Class B stude—"

The girl beside him, with a long orange ponytail, cut him off with a smack to the side of his head. " _Literally no one_ was talking to you, Monoma," she muttered. "Sorry, Midoriya – don't mind him."

"R-right." Izuku cleared his throat and looked back to Hagane. "Todoroki said you might know where I can find Tamashini?"

"Todoroki...?" Hagane raised an eyebrow. "Oh, right." His eyes trailed over to the boy eating alone across the cafeteria, somberly staring at his soba. Izuku saw Hagane's expression sour. "Her antisocial lunch buddy. Pretty boy."

"Eh, no need to be rude about it," the boy with absurdly long eyelashes elbowed Hagane, from the seat beside him. "You said you were the one who told her to make new friends, right?"

"...Yeah. Friend _s_ , plural. Not start an all-exclusive lunch club." He clicked his steel jaws slightly. "At any rate," he turned back to Izuku, "Kaida wasn't in a great mood this morning, so she's probably off somewhere on her own to get some space. If you really want to bother her, check up on the roof. She's fond of brooding in high places."

"Oh, alright. Thanks," Izuku adjusted his grip on his tray and made his exit from the Class B students.

The only stairwell that was rooftop-accessible was at the very back of the building, and had a creepy, run-down look about it. The unpainted metal stairs echoed as Izuku climbed them, and the lights flickered every now and then. When he got to the top, he pushed the door open with his back, barely managing to catch his chopsticks as they attempted to roll off of his tray. He squinted against the sudden harshness of sunlight.

It was a clear, blue day, with faint wisps of clouds blowing past. Compared to the spooky stairwell, the rooftop seemed like some sort of hidden garden, even though it was almost completely bare, save a few vents here and there, which hummed softly. The scent of white rice wafted up from the cafeteria exhaust.

Tamashini was perched on the wide ledge that surrounded the edge of the rooftop, dangling her legs off of the side, a plate of rice balls resting next to her. Her back was to the door, but when it closed loudly behind Izuku, she looked over her shoulder.

"Midoriya," she sounded surprised.

"Hi," Izuku waved, and went over to sit by her. She moved her lunch over accommodatingly.

"Looking for some fresh air? It's lovely up here," she said idly, leaning back slightly and resting her weight on her palm. Her long, black hair pooled behind her, stirred by the breeze.

"I was looking for you, actually," Izuku looked nervously over the edge, and scooted a little further back. "Hagane said you might be up here. Everything alright?"

"Oh; don't worry," she shrugged. "Nervous, I suppose, for this afternoon."

"Oh, the anti-personnel combat training? I think it'll be fun. What are you worried about?"

Tamashini looked down at her hand, and Izuku thought he saw a slight tremor before she curled her fingers up into a fist, and tucked it into her lap. "I had a tiring weekend," she said vaguely. "Might affect my performance." She looked up. "How was your first week?"

"As good as I could hope for," Izuku grinned. "Just sorry that I didn't get a chance to really meet you before. I'm... a big fan of the Dragon Hero," he said, a little sheepishly.

"Heh," she chuckled. "I bet you get that a lot with regards to All Might, too."

"Well, yeah. I was a big fanboy. But I never really knew him personally, so it gets – awkward, when people ask a lot of questions."

"By contrast, sometimes I think it would have been easier if I was never close to my mother," she murmured, looking off at the sky. "If I'm being honest, I'm not a huge fan of Elysium myself."

"Eh?" he dropped the piece of cutlet that was halfway to his mouth. "But, Tamashini-cha—"

"Kaida," she interrupted. "...Just 'Kaida.'"

Izuku paused. Her demeanor had changed, at some point since he'd brought up her heritage. "...Kaida, then. I'm sorry to be intrusive or – or overzealous. Kacchan tells me I can get obnoxious at times." He rubbed the back of his head.

She blew out a puff of air. "There's... no need to apologize. I have some bitterness to get over, that's all," she said dismissively. "Thanks for coming up here and saying hello," she steered the conversation away, "I'd wanted to get to know you as well, but didn't want to intrude on your relationship with Iida and Uraraka. You seem to be getting along very well."

"Oh, yeah. It's nice to make friends. I was kind of... the 'loser,' in middle school. When no one knew about my Quirk or my dad."

"Mm." She studied him for a moment. He felt oddly small under her blue stare, as if there were something larger than life hiding behind her eyes. "You look nothing like him, which honestly must have helped keep your secret."

"Yeah. It's hard to imagine being constantly hovered by the press all the time. My mom has such a little house, too."

"I got used to it, I guess — the press, that is." Kaida popped the last of her rice balls into her mouth.

Heavy, echoing noises rang out across the quad, and they looked over to one of the training blocks. Dust rose from around the buildings. _They must be preparing for this afternoon._ "I heard a rumor that UA was trying to hire All Might at one point to be a foundational hero studies instructor," Izuku noticed his pork getting cold.

Kaida laughed. "That would have been... interesting. None of the top heroes really work as educators, though — I can't imagine that they'd have the time."

"I suppose so." Izuku nodded. "But I wonder who our teacher will be?" The bell rang in the distance, floating up to them through open windows. "Eh? So soon?"

"Well, now you get to find out," Kaida stood up and brushed her skirt off. She hopped off the ledge, back onto the roof. "It was nice to talk to you, if even for a short while," she said amicably. "I'll see you out there."

* * *

— **Tamashini—**

"As you all know, you'll be going out to do anti-personnel battle training this afternoon," Aizawa spoke in his usual monotone, hands folded on the podium before him. The class cheered, students shuffling in their seats in excitement. Kaida leaned back in her chair.

"Before you go out to the quad," the teacher continued, lifting a remote to the right-hand wall of the classroom and pressing a red button, "take these with you. Your costumes have come in — hopefully the company honored all your requests."

Kaida took her briefcase to the girl's locker room once they'd made their way across the quad, and watched with bemused appreciation as some of the other girls folded out their costumes and squealed happily. Her seat number stared back at her as she turned her attention to her own case, and popped the locks open.

Kaida hadn't put in any special requests for her costume. She had filled out the form with her measurements, and left the rest up to the company. When she saw what was in the briefcase, she almost laughed aloud, but contained herself. Shaking her head, she slipped the top and bottom pieces on, and left the locker room without making conversation with any of the others.

The class had gathered on the small pseudo-city road just within the gates of the training compound. Kaida slipped in with the back of the group. Apparently the instructor hadn't arrived yet.

"It really suits you."

She turned to see Todoroki beside her, giving her a look-over. She shook her head. "The last Divine Dragon Hero wore it better," she chuckled.

The company had made her costume practically identical to her mother's. The top was a blue chest-piece lined with grey that went down to her navel, with bare shoulders and long trails of translucent aqua fabric along her arms. The bottom was separated into three separate drapes of cloth that fluttered slightly just past her knees. Practicality didn't matter too much, because she'd likely never be in any intense combat in human form.

She looked at Todoroki. "I barely recognize you," she commented. In fact, she hadn't recognized him at all when she approached the group. He was dressed in a simple white suit — but his entire left side he had coated over in rough ice. "It's a... rather harsh look.

His grey eye narrowed slightly. "Suits my abilities of choice," he shrugged.

So her growing suspicions were correct — there was something that was keeping him from using his left. Not that his ice powers weren't powerful on their own, but Kaida couldn't help but wonder at Todoroki's reasoning to refrain from tapping into his full Quirk.

"Okay... settle down and listen up."

A small, wizened-looking man with grey hair, dressed in yellow and white, was marching up to the class, a large cardboard box tucked under each arm.

"...Eh? Who's this gramps?" Bakugo muttered, loudly. "Why isn't the teacher here y— WHA—?"

He received a bright yellow boot to the face, faster than a blink of the eye. The old man stood at Bakugo's feet as the boy fell onto his rear, and frowned tightly along repeated lines on his face.

"You will address 'this gramps' as Gran Torino," he said. He set the boxes down in front of him as Bakugo climbed back to his feet, muttering curses under his breath. "Welcome to your anti-personnel combat training. I will be your instructor."

* * *

 **Gran Torino**

 **Quirk: Jet  
Using the air he breathes, he has incredible mobility through jet propulsion from the air that comes out of the soles of his feet. He can use his Quirk to enhance his punches and kicks as well.**

* * *

The name was vaguely familiar to Kaida, but she was sure that he'd never been one of the major pro heroes.

" _He never cared for fame."_ She started slightly at the sound of Elysium's voice. _"This man was a friend and mentor to the previous holders of One For All... he is worthy of your respect."_

 _It's not like I was planning on_ dis _respecting him,_ Kaida frowned.

"We don't have all day, so let's get started," the old man said gruffly. "You will draw lots to divide yourself up into two groups – heroes and villains – and then I will match you up in pairs to fight one another."

"TEACHER. Question." Iida raised his hand so sharply that Kaida heard his elbow pop a bit. "Will it be a free-form battle of teams, or—"

"Simmer down," Gran Torino tutted, but a hint of an amused smile crossed his face. "We will be conducting the battles in that building," he pointed to a large grey high-rise that looked like any ordinary office or apartment building. "The villain team will be tasked with defending a nuclear weapon – a fake, of course, for our intents and purposes – while the hero team's objective is to retrieve the weapon. Victory is defined by successfully securing the weapon within the time limit, or capturing and immobilizing the opposing team." He held up a roll of what looked like duct tape. "Applying this special capture tape will suffice for the latter. Are there any further questions?" He paused for a moment, eyeing Iida in particular. "...Good. One at a time, now." He motioned for the class to form a line and draw their lots.

 **Battle #1:  
Iida and Ashido vs. Tokoyami and Sero**

 **Battle #2  
Asui and Uraraka vs. Koda and Ojiro**

 **Battle #3  
Tamashini and Bakugo vs. Todoroki and Midoriya**

 **Battle #4  
Aoyama and Kaminari vs. Mineta and Hagakure**

 **Battle #5  
Jiro and Sato vs. Kirishima and Shoji**

Gran Torino took the class to a room on one end of the building, which was set up with monitors for viewing the ongoing battle from a wide array of cameras set up throughout the corridors and weapon room. He instructed Iida and Ashido to wait outside, giving them a copy of the building's blueprints, and took Tokoyami and Sero to get set up in the saferoom.

Kaida stood amongst her classmates, surveying the screens. The corridors had high ceilings, but were all relatively narrow – and the saferoom containing the "weapon" was rather small as well. _Not enough space to shift._ She hoped her training with Endeavor would pay off, and she'd be of some use to Bakugo with just her fire powers.

Gran Torino returned shortly, and spoke through a mic at the front of the control room. "All right... you may begin!"

The hero team opted for a speedy approach, with Iida jetting down the corridors and Ashido skating along on streaks of acid close behind him. Although Iida had had little time to study the floor plan of the building, he rounded the corners with great confidence, winding his way to the saferoom. Ashido seemed to be merely following his lead.

* * *

 **Mina Ashido**

 **Quirk: Acid  
She can shoot out corrosive liquid from her body, controlling the viscosity and solubility at will, allowing her to utilize her Quirk for head-on attacks or increased mobility.**

* * *

They burst through the door with an empowered kick from Iida's engines, and he shot across the room. Ashido was close behind him, but Sero had been waiting, just to the side of the doorway.

Letting Iida past, he shot out his tape as soon as Ashido appeared, yanking her out of her momentum roughly. She yelped and slipped in her own acid, and Sero took the opportunity to pull her close, and in the blink of an eye, wrapped the capture tape over his own.

* * *

 **Hanta Sero**

 **Quirk: Tape  
He can eject or retract sturdy cellophane-like tape from his elbows, able to make both sides sticky or even firing off multiple strands at the same time.**

* * *

Iida looked over his shoulder, taken by surprise at his teammate's sudden incapacitation. Kaida saw him look between Sero with Ashido and ahead at the weapon, just beyond arm's reach. His engines revved, and he made the decision to attempt to secure the objective. But the flare around his legs was dwarfed as a looming shadow rose up between Iida and the weapon, and Tokoyami stepped out from behind it.

* * *

 **Fumikage Tokoyami**

 **Quirk: Dark Shadow  
He hosts a shadow-like monster within his body named "Dark Shadow" that he can manifest at any moment. It is a sentient being, but exists to serve its master, providing Fumikage with both long- and short-range combat proficiency. Its personality and power depend on surrounding light conditions.**

* * *

Kaida's eyes glimmered slightly. While there existed many different types of Quirks, she had learned from her mother and their family legacy that Quirks were typically influenced at inception by either order or chaos – one of the two major forces constantly at flux in the world. This was, inarguably, a powerful chaos Quirk.

" _But the circumstances of one's creation do not predetermine the life they choose to walk."_ Elysium's voice reminded her.

 _I know._ It was true; societally, even, some individuals would be automatically assumed to be villains or heroes just by the appearance of their Quirk. Growing up alongside Kaiketsu, Kaida had seen much of the stigma that he'd had to bear. _Maybe not everyone like Tokoyami may know the roots of their Quirks, but actively choosing to do good in the world... I think it's rather noble._

" _You are displeased that you were never given a choice otherwise?"_

Kaida laughed, and abruptly covered her mouth when she realized she'd vocalized aloud. _Don't worry. I don't have secret ambitions to live a villain's life._

" _Good. Then focus on the task at hand."_

Turning her attention back to the monitors, Kaida was unsurprised to see that Tokoyami had overpowered Iida, as Dark Shadow wrapped the capture tape around the blue-haired boy.

"Sit tight," Gran Torino said, "I'll be right back." He zipped out of the room and appeared on the viewing monitor a matter of seconds later, retrieving and releasing the students in the saferoom. He returned to the viewing room abruptly, fetching Asui, Uraraka, Koda, and Ojiro for their upcoming battle.

The second fight passed rather uneventfully. When Gran Torino left for a second time, Kaida stepped away from the group, preparing to head outside herself. She saw Bakugo pulling Midoriya aside, in the shadows by the door. Bakugo put his hands on Midoriya's shoulders and shook him roughly. Concerned, Kaida took a few steps closer, and caught their conversation:

"You come at me with your all, you hear me?" Bakugo growled. "I'm not going easy on you like I do when we train – you better fucking try your best, or I'll kill you."

Midoriya gulped audibly. "Y-yes, Kacchan," he nodded. "And besides, Recovery Girl is around if things get messy, right?"

"Yeah." Bakugo released Midoriya's shoulders and folded his arms. "And get over that stuttering shit. People need to respect you here – I'm not going to play nice with you, but it looks good on you to stand up to your 'bully.'" He looked over Midoriya's shoulder and saw Kaida approaching. "The fuck are you looking at?" He snapped.

Gran Torino reappeared at the doorway. Kaida tipped her head towards him. "Time to go," she replied. _What's that about?_ she wondered, but didn't pursue it.

"Tch." Bakugo gave Midoriya one more glare, and then followed Gran Torino and Kaida.

Todoroki and Midoriya went off down a separate hallway. She saw Midoriya look over his shoulder for a moment, but then he turned and trotted ahead to catch up to Todoroki at the stairwell.

When Kaida and Bakugo were in the saferoom, Gran Torino pointed out the single doorway that served as both the entrance and exit. "You have one point of contact to defend — but you're not restricted to stay in the room to set up your defenses. If either of the 'heroes' are able to reach the weapon before the time is up, they win. Got it?"

"Got it." Bakugo cracked his knuckles. Then Gran Torino was gone in a small _whoosh_ of air.

Without so much as another word to Kaida, Bakugo strode off and caught the door before it could close, with one of his gauntleted hands. "Where are you going...?" she frowned.

"Stay here," he growled. "I'm going out to fight them before they can even get close."

"That's a terrible idea, with their Quirks and ours, our best bet is to—" Kaida didn't get a chance to finish her sentence before the door slammed shut and Bakugo disappeared around the corner.

* * *

— **Todoroki —**

Midoriya had the floor plan for the building held up in front of his face. Shoto could hear his teammate muttering furiously to himself from the other side of the paper wall between them, and he sighed to himself. Midoriya suddenly lowered the map and folded it loudly into the pocket of his suit. He nodded, the ear-like extensions on his hood bobbling with the motion.

"Okay — I think I have it down. Before we go in though, can I ask a question?"

"Sure." Shoto blinked.

"Just _how_ powerful is the Ice half of your Quirk? What kind of range could you get out of it?"

Shoto looked up at the building before them. "If you were to wait outside, I could walk in and have the entire thing frosted over. But in our case, I'm not certain it would be effective, keeping in mind Bakugo and Tamashini's Quirks."

"Do it anyway," Midoriya said. "They might not be expecting it – and it'll give us an idea of their exact location if they move around, where the ice would be melting."

Gran Torino's voice came over the loudspeakers. **"Okay... begin!"**

"If you say so, Midoriya." Shoto shrugged, and he walked up to the building alone. He opened the doors, and placed a hand along the wall just inside. With a massive, crackling noise, light refracted down the hallway as the interior was taken over by a coat of ice, spreading down every corner and wall that it could reach from one end of the building to the other. He exhaled heavily, his breath condensing in the frosted air as Midoriya walked up beside him, shivering visibly.

"G-good job...!" He gave Shoto a thumbs-up.

"Don't slip," Shoto warned, and let the door close behind them. His own shoes were spiked at the bottom to ensure his footing on icy ground, but he could only hope for the best as far as Midoriya's sense of balance.

They walked down the hallway in silence, only the sound of their footsteps quietly reverberating through the halls. Midoriya was shivering so hard that Shoto thought he'd freeze in place at any moment. Eventually, they came to one of the stairwells, and went up a floor before pausing at the door that led into a new hallway.

"Alright... the weapon will either be on this floor or the one above it," Midoriya nodded, and rubbed his arms roughly to warm himself. "There are three possible rooms on this floor and two on the one above. If we manage to—"

"Wait," Shoto interrupted, holding a finger up to his lips. He looked at the stairs leading up another floor. A quiet hissing noise wafted down. "...It might just be a draft. But let's get out of the stairwell."

Midoriya looked anxiously where Shoto was, and nodded, pulling the door open and slipping into the next floor, as chilly as the first. Shoto turned to close the door gently, but then the hallway shook, the deafening sound of shattering ice ringing in their ears.

"DIE!"

Shards of ice blew past him, and Shoto narrowly managed to slip behind the cover of the doorway before an explosion filled the spot where he was standing. "Midoriya!" he shouted.

"Just go!" Midoriya yelled back. "I'll hold him here."

Peering around the corner, Shoto caught sight of Bakugo's imposing silhouette amidst the steam and debris in the hallway. His already-spiky hair was framed by two aesthetic flares from his costume, and around his wrists, two gauntlets shaped like grenades were wreathed in rising smoke.

"We shouldn't split up – that's probably what they w—"

"We don't have time to waste arguing, _go_!"

Shoto gritted his teeth. From the broken window in the door, he saw Izuku dash past, the aura from his Quirk swirling around his limbs as he charged Bakugo. Bakugo's mouth curled into a grin, and he blasted himself into the air, dodging the punch. Shoto turned and ran up the stairs.

The sound he'd heard earlier was more distinct now – and definitively not just the wind. The floor below him shook slightly from the battle one story below. He walked down the corridor warily.

After several arbitrary twists and turns through the maze of hallways, Shoto halted as he passed one wall. Halfway down the corridor, there was a soft blue glow emanating from under a doorway, which would have been barely visible otherwise. The ice surrounding the door itself dripped slightly. _Jackpot._

Shoto slid along the wall, listening for any sounds of motion from within the room, pausing just to the left of the door. He saw his normal breath misting in the cold air, and steeled himself before blasting the door open with a burst of ice. Steam rushed out and blew into his face.

In the room beyond, Kaida stood a few meters in front of the weapon, encircled by her blue flames, which danced around the perimeter of the room. She smile wryly when she saw him in the doorway.

"Hold off the ice, but don't burn the place down – it's a delicate process," she said.

"If you treated the simulation more realistically, and we were dealing with an actual nuclear weapon, the situation would be far too volatile to risk flames at all."

"Fire obeys," Kaida lifted a hand, and a flame danced around her fingertips, "when you reach out to claim it."

Shoto felt a surge of indignation at her stilted comment, and his left side encased in ice tingled slightly. But before he could issue a rebuke, the fire around the room gathered itself into a column, and shot towards him. He reacted quickly, nullifying the heat with a wall of ice that turned to steam. The steam parted as Kaida dashed forwards, swinging a kick towards him.

He ducked under it, and reached for her leg to pull her off balance, but barely scraped her boot, just enough to freeze her leg over. Her fire flared, melting the ice enough for her to find her footing.

In vanilla hand-to-hand combat, he had height advantage and raw strength over her, but her Quirk gave her a slight advantage over his ice at such a close range. She was dancing more than fighting, fending him off but still applying enough aggression that he couldn't push forward to the objective.

Then he heard Midoriya's voice hollering in his earpiece: "TODOROKI! MOVE TO THE WALL!" Shoto lifted a hand to his ear.

"What?" He looked around, and found that Kaida had them at the far end of the room, near the corner. "I'm clear, what are you—"

There was a thunderous explosion, and the floor exploded, followed by the ceiling above it. A column of pressurized air shot through the newly-made hole, which extended all the way through the building to expose the sky. The room had been blown wide open. Shoto saw Kaida activate her own receiver. "Bakugo, what's going on? _Bakugo?_ "

In the moment that she was distracted, Shoto saw his chance. He darted past her, and made a bridge of ice to span the massive hole in the center of the room between him and the weapon. He made it about halfway across before he was blinded by a flash of light.

The wind was knocked out of his lungs as his feet left the ground, and he found himself pinned to one of the remaining pillars in the room. Four-inch-long talons were buried in the concrete on either side of him, holding him immobile under one clawed foot. The triangular head tilted down to look at him, and Shoto saw himself reflected in the luminous blue eyes.

" _A clever trick,"_ he heard Kaida's voice in his mind, and the dragon seemed to smile. _"But opening up the space lets me play my full hand."_

 _You're pushing me to use mine,_ Shoto felt the ice around his left side melt slightly. _No. Get a hold of yourself,_ he gritted his teeth.

" **Hero Team wins!"**

Gran Torino's voice caught both of their attention. The dragon's head swung around, and Shoto craned his neck to see Midoriya on one knee, his shaking hand resting on the side of the weapon.

"YOU FUCKIN' NERD," more explosions filled the room as Bakugo burst up through the hole. Midoriya toppled over, and Bakugo's expression changed as he rushed towards him. "Izu—"

A yellow blur got in his way, as Gran Torino held him back, not seeing Bakugo's change in demeanor and trying to avoid conflict. "Simmer down, young man," the teacher chuckled. "Fight's done."

The blinding light reappeared, and Shoto turned his head away from it, shutting his eyes tightly. When it faded and he cracked his eyes open, he saw Kaida standing in front of him, her hand still pinning him to the wall by his collarbone, to a much less imposing effect than in her dragon form. "Heh," she looked amused. "I wouldn't call it good teamwork on either side's behalf, but well done. Oh, I nicked you a bit," her smile faded, and her hand moved to his shoulder, where a red line was staining his white suit. Her touch was gentle as the blue aura drifted across the cut, stitching it back together. "Sorry."

"It's... alright," he touched the tear in his suit, not really knowing what else to say. "Your Quirk is quite overwhelming."

"I'd say you were doing well enough yourself when we were both at 50%," she laughed. He frowned again.

"Oi," Gran Torino showed up beside them, the wind from his momentum making the silks on Kaida's costume waft slightly around her slender arms. "This isn't social hour. Let's get going, there are still two more battles to go."

At the end of the class, they went over the video footage and Gran Torino did an analysis of each of their battles before dismissing them for the day. Tired but still riding the thrill, the class went to change and scurried back to homeroom to get their things before ending the day.

As the students filed out into the crowded hallway, Shoto watched the back of Kaida's head as she disappeared into the crowd. He'd wanted to speak with her in the postmortem of the battle training, but she'd gone with Midoriya and Recovery Girl to the nurse's office, even though Shoto hadn't noticed any injuries on her. She had an ice pack around her arm when she showed up to the classroom, and didn't engage him in conversation, looking much less vivid than she'd been earlier.

He went to his locker to change shoes, and slipped into the stream of students exiting the building. When he rounded the corner onto the sidewalk, he caught sight of her standing on the curb with Hagane, her friend from Class B. He felt awkward approaching them, but decided it would be better than letting his thoughts coalesce chaotically overnight.

"So who got hurt, you or someone else?" Hagane was saying, pointing at the ice pack.

"Midoriya. This is just from me helping out. Endeavor said I should take every opportunity I can to condition myself."

"Well, I'm really glad to hear that things went better than you expected them to," Hagane patted her shoulder. Kaida shrugged.

"We still didn't win. But I should take the victories I can – I shifted without much trouble, at the very least, I suppose." She sighed and pulled the melting ice pack off her arm, tossing it into a nearby trash can. In the process, she noticed Shoto hovering nearby. "Oh, Todoroki-kun. I don't think you've met Kaiketsu, have you?"

"You've spoken highly of him, but no, we haven't met before," Shoto nodded towards the other boy. "Todoroki Shoto."

"Hagane Kaiketsu," he regarded Shoto apathetically.

"Did you need something?" Kaida asked, not impatiently. A black car pulled up, and a man's voice came out of the open window.

"Hi, sweetheart! Sorry I'm a little late."

Kaida winced slightly. "You know it's perfectly alright, Dad."

"Oh. If you have to go, I don't want to keep you," Shoto turned to leave, feeling even more awkward. Kaida tugged on the sleeve of his blazer. He was surprised to see her look of concern.

"If there's something you need to talk about, I'm not in a hurry." She looked at Hagane. "Don't wait up on me, you can get comfortable in the car." Shoto thought he saw the other boy glance over sourly, but then Hagane was already climbing into the back seat of the Mercedes.

"I wanted to address your... consistent and persistent allusions to the situation about my Quirk," Shoto said. _I haven't thought this through much in my mind,_ he realized, frowning at how awkward the words sounded out of his mouth.

"Have I been too intrusive?" Kaida's eyebrows turned down at the edges with worry. "I'm sorry if I've offended."

"No, you've—" Shoto stopped, his thoughts pausing. He realized that he'd never really talked to anyone about what he wanted to talk to Kaida about – and that he had no idea _how_ to tell his story. He'd never had the inclination to. _So why am I inclined to now? Is it because I witnessed her struggling and suffering in the same way I did?_ "You haven't done anything wrong," he said, breaking his silence. "Sorry, I just... need to figure something out. Nevermind. We'll talk some other time."

"If you promise to not leave me hanging indefinitely," she gave him a small smile. "I'll wait. Take care then, Todoroki." She lifted a hand to wave farewell as she got into her father's car, and Shoto watched her drive off, standing on the curb with his disquieted mind.

* * *

 _ **Next Chapter: Encounter**_


	4. IV: Encounter

**AN: Friendly reminder that this is M-rated for Bakugo's language (and also some p. heavy violence in this one). In hindsight, making the USJ arc into one chapter was a mistake.**

* * *

 **Chapter Four: Encounter**

* * *

 **—Midoriya—**

"You FUCKIN' IDIOT!"

The door to Recovery Girl's office slammed open, swinging dangerously on its hinges. Bakugo stuck his foot out to keep it from rebounding into his face, and stormed into the room, folding his arms as he stood over Izuku's bed.

"' _Come at me with your all'_ didn't mean BREAK YOUR FUCKIN' ARM. We've been over this, using your quirk over your limit isn't worth SHIT if you can't even stand up afterwards," he hollered, sticking his face close to Izuku's. He immediately received a cane to his chin.

"Leave the patient alone, young man," the nurse said, scowling. "Who do you think you are, barging in like that?"

"His significant other," Katsuki retorted, rubbing his chin and shoving the cane aside.

Izuku's eyes went wide. "K-kacchan? I thought we weren't telling people—"

"WHO'S THIS OLD CRONE GONNA TELL?" Bakugo was yelling again.

"'Youthful Heroine,' thank you very much," Recovery Girl tapped her cane on the ground. She smiled, her laugh lines crinkling along old furrows. "And very well... I'd never get in the way of young love. Izuku, I think you're good to go. Tamashini-chan did a fine job of contributing to your recovery. Your boyfriend has a point, though – don't be too rough with yourself in the future, alright?"

"R-right," Izuku nodded, and stepped off of the bed, giving the old lady a bow. "Thank you very much."

* * *

 **—Todoroki—**

"Your udon is getting cold."

"Says you," Kaida lowered her notebook to quirk her eyebrow at him.

"...my soba was cold to begin with _._ It's better cold. "

"Hmph." She pretended to huff indignantly, but Shoto saw her crack a smile as she took a loud slurp from her soup. "I'm just getting carried away trying to finish up tonight's assignments. I want to have the evening free to relax – after USJ this afternoon, you know?"

Shoto eyed her neatly-printed handwriting on the lined paper that she'd set on the table, which had been splattered by a few droplets of broth. "You're planning to go that all-out, huh?"

"Rescue training sounds like fun," Kaida said, her mouth full. "I'm getting a little weary of the whole _fire and blood and more fire_ thing that your father has me drilling on."

"Hm." Shoto reached over and moved her notebook out of harm's way as she continued to slurp haphazardly. Kaida was in an unusually good mood. Though they'd both begun to relax around one another more and more each day through their shared lunchtime off in the corner, she lacked her usual proper and reserved demeanor for favor of a more carefree aura.

 _It looks good on her,_ Shoto thought to himself.

"Oh, I just remembered," she dabbed at her mouth with her napkin. "It's been a weekend and two days already, and you haven't told me what it was you wanted to talk about the other day."

Shoto paused. "...Don't worry about it."

"Too late, I'm worried about it," Kaida stuffed her notebook in her backpack as the end-of-period bell rang. "Come find me at the end of the day," she said decisively, and left before Shoto had the slightest chance to protest.

He sighed and gathered his things together, putting his bowls and plates back onto his tray. As he stood to leave, he noticed a green pen sitting on the booth across from him, and frowned. Kaida had already disappeared from sight. Shoto stopped, staring at the pen with more contemplation than it deserved for a long moment.

 _...I suppose I ought to find her later and at least return her pen, right?_

He stuffed it in his pocket, and slipped into the stream of students exiting the cafeteria.

* * *

 **—Tamashini—**

Kaida was the last one on the bus. She was desperately searching her bag for a spare band to tie back her hair, but somehow they had all vanished. And she was certainly too proud to ask any of the other girls to borrow one. So she found herself running across the parking lot long after all her classmates had vacated the locker rooms, the lower half of her costume tangling around her legs as she sprinted, and arrived as an uncharacteristically disgruntled mess.

"TAMASHINI-CHAN!"

Iida's voice boomed out across the lot, and Kaida saw him standing in the doorway of the bus, on the bottom step, waving his arm up and down at her in a condescending, chopping motion. "EVERYONE WAS LINING UP LONG AGO, ACCORDING TO ID — YOU ARE NO. 20, SO IT IS ALRIGHT THAT YOU ARE THE LAST, BUT BEING LATE IS—"

Mr. Aizawa wrapped one of his cloth-restraints around Iida's mouth, and grabbed him by one of the his wildly waving arms. "Enough, you're _already_ overdoing the class president thing," he muttered.

"Yes, teacher! I am sorry, teacher!" Iida bowed profusely, and then disappeared off to take his seat. Kaida approached the bus door, tucking her messy hair behind an ear.

Aizawa gave her a sour look. She bowed her head. "I apologise for my tardiness, teacher," she said. He pointed to an empty seat near the front, and chose to give her a silent judgment rather than verbally reprimand her. She winced, and slipped into the spot obediently.

As the bus started rolling, she glanced over her shoulder as the rest of Class 1-A started to chatter. They'd mostly clustered together in the middle rows, where the seats faced one another, while Bakugo was in one of the rear rows, sulking. Kirishima, with an unfailing smile, was persistently trying to make conversation. Kaida spotted Midoriya between Iida and Uraraka, in the middle of the most sociable group. Todoroki was at the back of the bus, in the farthest corner from her, staring absently out the window.

She turned to glance out her own window, as they made their way down the street. The tall glass buildings of UA's main campus disappeared behind the tree-line along the sides of the road, and she turned her attention to the scattered clouds in the sky.

" _You're very relaxed today. It's rare to see you in such a mood."_

Kaida sighed at the intrusive voice in her mind.

 _I don't need you breathing down my neck, dragon_. _It's not as if I've been negligent in any of my studies or training._

She thought she could hear Elysium laughing. _"No, child; I do not mean to reprimand you. The opposite, in fact – it is good for you to be more in touch with the world at your level once in a while. The macro can be overwhelming."_

 _This, coming from_ you?

" _It is important to not forget the purpose for our responsibility, the reason that we bear the weight of the world... if there were nothing to fight for, if we did not know peace, what would we be?"_

Kaida leaned her head against the window, and found herself with a small smile. _Some empty shell of a delusion of justice, I suppose. Point made._

" _It pleases me to see you enjoying your time with the Todoroki boy. And Midoriya... even if just to the end of building useful relationships between your heritages, friendship is important."_

 _Are you really going to give me a lecture on social skills?_

" _I have been with many, many Tamashini wardens before you and your mother. Human lives pass in the blink of an eye. It is your gift – and your duty – to know the true meaning behind the time that you are given."_

The bus jerked to a halt, and her head slipped off of the window. She blinked her eyes open in surprise. _We're here already?_ It seemed that time sometimes passed without her while she spoke with Elysium. The doors opened with a hydraulic hiss, and Aizawa stood from his seat and pointed outside.

"We're here. Look sharp, now."

"Okay!"

Kaida elected to stay seated as the bus physically rocked from the movement of nineteen other students jumping up from their spots and bustling for the door. She pulled her curtain of hair well out of the way of the aisle, and then trailed along with the tail end of the class.

A short flight of shallow steps led up to the front entrance of the massive glass dome. The doors opened automatically as they approached. Iida stood at the threshold, counting (aloud) each student that passed him on their way in. He gave Kaida an aggressive thumbs-up when the doors closed behind her.

" _Uwaa~!"_

Uraraka squealed, her high-pitched voice rising above the excited murmurs of the rest of their class. "Deku-kun!" she tugged on Midoriya's green sleeve. "Is that—?"

"It's the Space Hero: Thirteen!" Midoriya squealed in a comparably-high pitch.

* * *

 **Thirteen**

 **Quirk: Black Hole  
Creates a vortex that turns anything it sucks into dust. The Quirk is activated by releasing the fingertips on their hero costume's gloves.**

* * *

Kaida leaned over to see past Bakugo, who had his arms crossed impatiently. Before the class, a figure in a big white astronaut suit was spreading their arms wide, gesturing to the space around them.

"Welcome to the _Unforseen Simulation Joint!_ The flood zone... the landslide zone... the conflagration zone! Every disaster and accident you can imagine – I built this facility myself, so I can guarantee that it's all suitable for your training needs. Today, you're all here to— eh?" Thirteen tipped their head to the side. "Say, Aizawa; where's Torino? I was told he's coming along with you?"

Aizawa held up his flip phone, his expression not shifting from its default bored frown. "He texted me on the bus ride over. Chiropractor appointment running late."

"Ah," Thirteen chuckled. "I suppose he _is_ an old man, after all. _Ahem_. So!" They clapped their hands together. "Before we begin, there are some things that I feel are important to convey to you all, young boys and girls..."

A few classmates grumbled and sighed at the impending lecture.

"As some of you may know, my Quirk is called _Black Hole_. While it holds great potential for power... it could easily kill. It is important, as a pro hero, to know your limitations and the extent of you power – so that you may be aware of where you can best excel. From Aizawa's aptitude test, you learned to push your personal limits with your Quirks. From Gran Torino's combat training, you began to experience what battle is like in a real-time situation. But here... you will learn how to use your Quirks to do one of a hero's most important duties: Rescue! Your powers are not meant to inflict harm. I hope that you leave here today with the understanding that above all, you're meant to _help_ people." With that, Thirteen nodded to the class, and made a deep bow. "That is all!"

Kaida found herself nodding as her classmates cheered.

"Thirteen is so cool!" Midoriya was on the verge of emotional tears.

 _That's right..._ Kaida closed her eyes. _The Divine Dragon exists to protect the balance of life. There's no room for delusions of glory or fame or—_

" _ **Tamashini."**_

Elysium's voice rang so loudly in her mind that she flinched visibly.

" _ **Something's wrong."**_

 _What?_ A strange noise ripped through the air. Aizawa and Thirteen turned sharply to its source, and the rest of the class craned their necks to see down the long flight of stairs to USJ's central area.

Before the short series of ledges that lined the flood zone's massive indoor lake, a huge vortex of dark energy had appeared in the air, and was stretching sideways to span around the lip of the water. From the shadows within, many figures began to emerge, of all shapes and sizes. Each and every one of them was dressed in a red-and-black uniform.

"A-are those... villains?" Hagakure's voice trembled out of the air.

"Thirteen," Aizawa slipped his visor up and leapt into the air. "Guard the students. Do not let them engage in combat." Without hesitation, he dashed down to meet the wave of incoming enemies.

Kaida felt Elysium stirring within her. There was an aura of intense malice emanating from the vortex, beyond the ill intentions of the evildoers that were pouring into the area. She narrowed her eyes, and her vision turned sharp as she looked through the dragon's view. The red patterns on the villains' clothes glowed faintly. _Those marks... what are they?_

" _They're branded by Erebus. They are servants to Chaos itself."_

 _What?_ A white and blue flame danced around Kaida's fingertips as she felt her alarm rising. _Who sent them? All for One?_

" _Most likely. Their intentions will be made clear soon enough."_

"Please, stay calm, everyone," Thirteen raised their hands and ushered the students away from the edge of the stairs. "Eraser will hold them off for now. I'll try to contact— huh?" Thirteen shook his transmitter. "I'm unable to reach UA's emergency line...?"

"Kaminari, what if you try?" Jiro elbowed the yellow-haired boy sharply.

"Ow!" He winced, but put his hand to the amplifier and antenna on the side of his headpiece. "...urgh!" Kaminari grimaced in pain and shook his head. "Someone has a jammer... I can't get through the radio waves, either."

"...Damnit," Thirteen clenched their fists. "Iida," he said suddenly, turning to the class representative. "You'll be the fastest one. Run back to UA – get help as quickly as you can."

"Yes, at once!" Iida nodded, and the engines on his calves revved loudly.

A shadow surged up from the ground before him, and the class shrank back, some of the girls (and Mineta) squealing in fright.

" **What kind of fools are you... that you would attempt to mount an escape just like that? Or perhaps, you think** _ **we**_ **are the fools?"** A purple-and-black miasma lifted from the ground, and a pair of glowing yellow eyes leered at them.

"What do you want, villain?" Thirteen raised a hand threateningly, lifting their other arm to ward the students behind them.

The shadow laughed. **"Master Shigaraki's only goal today was to strike fear into the premier institution of budding new heroes... a few lives, here and there — would that be too much for us to take?"** Kaida felt a chill as the villain turned its gaze to her, Todoroki, and Midoriya in turn. **"It seems we've struck the jackpot, with this class."**

Kaida stepped closer to Iida. She leaned close to him. "Don't move yet. When I do, run – I'll buy you enough time to get through—"

"Shut your mouth, you gloomy shithole," Bakugo's explosion and curses blasted from behind them before Kaida could finish talking. Kirishima dashed forwards with his classmate. "You think we're just going to stand here and let you do whatever you fuckin' want?"

" **I like your fire, young one...** **but I can't let you go blazing out of control, can I?"** Another dark vortex appeared between the villain and the two boys. Without time to slow down, Bakugo and Kirishima stumbled, slipped, and fell forwards – disappearing promptly into the wormhole.

"What did you do with them?" Midoriya yelled. The aura of his Quirk flared, red lines of energy sparking up around his limbs.

"Enough!" Thirteen pulled Midoriya back roughly, and took a leap forwards. "You won't do as you please, villain," they said boldly. With a flick of their fingers, the caps on their gloves popped off, and the pressure in the air shifted as Thirteen's Quirk manifested.

The villain grunted, and sank into the ground. **"You've left your back open..."**

The class's view of Thirteen was obscured as another portal opened between them. The sound of whooshing air abruptly stopped, and Thirteen let out a choking cry.

* * *

 **—Midoriya—**

He saw the dust in the air clear as Thirteen fell forwards onto the ground, the back of their costume torn to shreds by their own Quirk. The body beneath it was too dark to see, but the hero lay on their chest, twitching weakly. _No... how is this happening?_

The villain laughed. **"Now, for the rest of you..."**

"Iida, now," Kaida said. Izuku turned to look at her, but just as soon had to raise his hand to block the flash of blinding light.

" **Rrrgh!"** As the villain shrank away, they all heard Iida's engines revving as the class president sped away. By the time the light dissipated, he was gone, the automatic glass doors shattered in his wake.

Kaida's dragon stood between the class and the villain. White fire danced around her talons and bladed tail, and her wings flared aggressively.

" **Tch. A flashy show... but have you truly mastered the Quirk?"** The villain jeered, but Izuku could hear the bravado in his voice wavering. **"I'm not fool enough to test it for myself. Choose,** _ **Elysium –**_ **will you fight? Or will you flee?"**

The shadow flattened against the ground, and zipped below the dragon's feet.

"Aiee!" Uraraka and Hagakure shrieked as they fell into the portal.

"Uraraka—!" Izuku reached out to them, but gasped as he felt the ground disappear beneath him as well.

For a moment, he was engulfed by darkness. He barely had time to register that he was falling when USJ reappeared around him, and he landed roughly on his rear. Scrambling to his feet, he stepped back warily as he took in his new surroundings, his shoes scraping against concrete.

The teleporting villain had sent him down to the main combat area. Aizawa was fending off the bulk of the encroaching wave, keeping enemies at bay with his restraint tool and incapacitating those that came too close with the combination of his Quirk and hand-to-hand combat.

* * *

 **Shota Aizawa**

 **Quirk: Erasure  
** **He can nullify the Quirk of anyone by simply looking at them. The effect ends when he blinks.**

* * *

The rest of his classmates were nowhere to be seen.

"That's good, I suppose," he muttered. "Then they're out of danger..."

"What a stupid boy," an unfamiliar, raspy voice came from behind him. Izuku spun around, and saw a thin, slouchy man with a mop of blue hair standing on the raised ledge before the pool. His red-and-black outfit was adorned with what looked like severed hands, with one covering the entirety of his face. "Worried about your friends, when you're in the eye of the storm?"

Before Izuku could react, the man's hand snapped out and grabbed at the sleeve of Izuku's gym uniform. The fabric made a horrible crackling noise, and then it started to turn to dust.

* * *

 **Tomura Shigaraki**

 **Quirk: Decay  
He can disintegrate whatever comes into contact with his hands, as long as all five of his fingers touch his target.**

* * *

Horrified, Izuku tried to scramble away, but the man grabbed his other arm in a vice-like grip with two fingers. "Don't struggle... if I close my hand, my Quirk will be much less pleasant on your flesh. Just sit and watch a bit, why don't you? As your father's legacy goes to waste."

Izuku shivered, and the man turned the boy's head forcefully to look at the battle before them. He laughed shrilly.

"Kurogiri," he called. The shadow villain from before appeared out of the ground beside him.

* * *

 **Kurogiri**

 **Quirk: Warp Gate  
He can create a dark fog that acts as a portal, enabling him to transport anything that comes into contact with the fog to a different location. He can also create multiple exit points from the same source portal.**

* * *

" **Yes, Master Shigaraki?"**

"Send the Nomus out to play."

" **At once, sir."**

The long portal opened again behind them, and two massive figures lumbered forwards. Their skin was various shades of faded green and blue, and the tops of their craniums were exposed, baring their brain and bulging eyes to the open air. Instead of mouths, they had hooked beaks, through which they uttered screeching cries. One spread a pair of ghastly, bat-like wings, flexing its long claws. The villains paused, turning to look as their new allies appeared, and cheered.

Izuku's eyes widened. "What... what the—"

The larger of the Nomus dashed forwards with surprising speed for its size. Aizawa barely had time to turn and react by the time it crashed into him, but his raised block did nothing to lessen the impact from the blue creature's body slam. The teacher went flying backwards, landing on his back on the hard floor and rolling several more feet.

The other Nomu flapped its wings and flew to join the fight, swooping to where Aizawa had fallen. Izuku saw Aizawa lift his head, and a small flash of red light as his Quirk activated, but the creature did not falter. It scooped the man up in its feet and tossed him like a ragdoll, over to the other Nomu. The blue creature ripped the mask from Aizawa's face, carving a scarlet line across his cheekbones in the process, before slamming him face-down into the ground.

"Stop it!" Izuku yelled, forcing himself to keep from struggling violently. "What do you want?"

An ear-splitting roar interrupted Shigaraki before he could reply. A gust of wind blasted the surrounding area as the dragon swept down, knocking the blue Nomu away from Aizawa's fallen form.

 _Kaida...!_

The dragon crouched protectively over Aizawa, lowering her head and releasing a blast of fire after the creature she'd tossed away. The other Nomu screeched a challenge, and took off towards her. Kaida reared and beat her wings to meet her opponent in the air, away from Aizawa.

"HEY, SCRAWNY!"

"Kacchan?" Over the din of battle, an explosion shattered the stairs behind them. Izuku ducked down as Shigaraki was blasted away from him, replaced by Bakugo as the boy landed in the rubble.

"Hands off, bitch," he growled.

Kurogiri moved towards them. As the shadow slipped in from the side, Izuku caught a flash of silver – a girdle, sitting below a vest and dress shirt. "There!" He clenched his fists, his Quirk energizing around his arms. "He has a physical form, we should be able to actually strike him if we aim for that part!"

"So shut up and do it!" Bakugo snapped. Fire sparked at his fingertips, and he turned back to Shigaraki as Izuku lunged for the shadow villain.

* * *

 **—Tamashini—**

Her dragon was larger and stronger than the creature, so when they collided mid-air, Kaida carried it to the ground with the force of her momentum. It slashed out at her with its forelimbs, the long claws digging into her shoulder and flank, carving out a row of deep cuts.

With a roar, she drove her talons into its upper chest, pinning it by the wings and shoulders. She ripped downwards, tearing through the wing membrane and muscles of the creature's chest. It gurgled in pain, and kicked up at her with its legs. The strength was far more than she'd anticipated, and she was knocked to the side. As she staggered backwards, the creature scrambled away, leaving a trail of pale yellow blood. Kaida's eyes widened in horror as she saw its wounds knitting back together as it leapt back to its feet.

 **" _No holding back, Tamashini. Kill, or be killed."_**

Kaida lashed out with her tail, and found her mark – one of the creature's wings was severed cleanly, and fell to the floor, where it writhed briefly. She followed up with a column of fire, and when it cleared, the severed wing was still, the wound seemingly cauterized.

 **" _You've found a weakness. Exploit it."_**

 _Stop backseat driving me—_

Her thoughts were cut short as a weight landed on her back, and pain seared through her as the other Nomu ripped its beak into her shoulder blade. She reared, and felt it wobble off-balance. As it wavered, it latched onto one of her wings. It anchored back onto her, the talons on its feet lengthening to dig into her back and curl around her ribs, and wrenched its powerful arms violently. She felt the bones along her wing snap in several places, and cried out in pain, her mind clouding.

 _Focus._

She fell onto her back, attempting to crush the creature under her weight, doing her best to block out the agony as it pierced into her even as she crashed to the ground. She rolled, and it finally fell away from her, its own bones cracking back into place as it gathered itself.

Kaida breathed heavily, smoke seeping from between her jaws as lines of scarlet trailed through her scales. Her legs trembled as she tried to rise, and the effort proved too much – her vision whited out, and she found herself laying on her back, returned to her human form. Her wounds were gone, but the pain lingered, and she barely hung on to consciousness.

" _ **You have to transform back, Tamashini,**_ **"** Elysium said urgently. She felt the pool of the dragon's ichor seeping into the fabric of her clothes, and lifted her hand weakly, watching the blood drip down her arm.

 _I can't... fall here..._

 _ **Don't give up, Kaida.**_ Her vision sharpened, and her heartbeat quickened at the familiar voice, so much more comforting than the dragon's.

 _..._ _Mother?_

She shut her eyes tightly, and felt her aura surge again as the dragon's power wrapped itself around her.

* * *

 **—Todoroki—**

He crouched atop the pillar of ice he'd made, scanning the area around him carefully. The shadow villain had dumped him out in the craggy area of USJ, far from the main area where the others had appeared.

 _Hmph. An inconvenience, at most._ He lowered his hand, creating a slope to slide down, and he zipped over the ground speedily. The dust and stone turned to an indoor forest, and opened up over the large pool of the water zone.

Shoto had heard Kaida's roars and seen the light reflecting off of the glass dome twice now, and it greeted him once more as he broke through the tree-line. Across the water, most of the villains had stepped back, and were standing still, watching the battle before them: the silver-blue dragon, twisting and turning in the air and on the ground, and the monstrous beasts that beset her from either side. Off to the side, Bakugo's tell-tale explosions competed with swirling vortexes of darkness from the warp villain, disappearing and reappearing here and there. Flashes of green and red sparks indicated that Midoriya was beside his classmate. Shoto set his jaw, and fanned his hand out over the water, creating a path for him to cross.

"There's another student coming!" A voice from the crowd drew attention him as he zipped over the water zone. "Keep them away from Shigaraki and the Nomus!"

A metal spear came hurtling towards him. He veered sharply to the side, making a steep curve in his path, and continued along a wide arc to the far side of the water. More projectiles were lobbed his way, but he blocked them easily with walls of ice. Calm and collected, he stepped into the edge of the ring of villains, and planted his right foot down onto the concrete.

Ice radiated out from him, rooting each and every villain within range to the ground, as the crystals wrapped up their bodies, locking their arms and legs into place. One villain, a behemoth of a transformer-type, swelled to twice his size, the ice around his waist cracking dangerously. Shoto turned his one visible eye towards the villain, and lifted his hand. The man was caught mid-dash, everything but his head locked in a massive block of ice.

Shoto exhaled, his breath misting before him as he lowered his hand, doing his best to hide the slight shiver.

An unearthly screech caught his attention, but as he turned to address its source, it was cut short. He saw the blue monster dashing towards him for a moment, but then it froze in place, a trio of scythe-shaped blades through its chest. The blades fanned out into a forked tail, and Kaida whipped the creature over her shoulder and away from Shoto.

His eyes widened when he saw the state she was in. Her claws and tail-blade dripped with the two monsters' eerily-colored blood. One of her wings hung limply at her side, the feather-like scales trailing through the debris on the ground, and she had several open wounds, which bled freely. As she sank her talons into the concrete, baring her teeth at her opponents, Shoto could tell that she was fading fast. He remembered their conversation after her training with his father.

 _"...I can't hold my alternate form for very long. I don't know if my mother had this problem, but manifesting the dragon form seems to drain me."_

He watched as the creature that she'd impaled rose to its feet, the wound in its chest knitting closed. The dragon opened its jaws to blast it with fire, but the green creature slammed into her neck, knocking her off-balance. She went toppling to the ground.

" _Kaida!"_

Her blue eyes shifted towards him, before a cloud of darkness swept between them.

" **You have such strength..."** the warp villain's voice echoed around him. **"You think you can protect the others as she has? Let's see about that."**

* * *

 **—Tamashini—**

She could see the flickering light around her as her form threatened to shift once more, but locked down onto every ounce of determination she had, rolling back onto all fours. The two Nomus circled her like sharks, and she turned slowly with them, not wanting to expose her back to either.

Then the dark portal opened above them, and Todoroki started to fall from thirty feet above. He reacted quickly, making an icy slope to slide down and break his fall, but the Nomus turned up to him, their dark eyes gleaming with new, malicious interest. The green one beat its one good wing excitedly, and leapt off the ground.

Kaida gathered her strength in her hind legs and jumped to intercept it, catching its back leg between her jaws. It still managed to collide with the pillar of ice, shattering the base and bringing Todoroki back into freefall. Kaida instinctively tried to beat her wings, only to be greeted by searing pain from her left side. She threw the green Nomu to the ground and landed heavily.

Todoroki hit the ground rolling, managing to break the end of his fall enough to avoid any serious injuries. As he rolled onto his feet, Kaida saw his grey eye widen as the blue Nomu went barreling at him for a second time. He lifted his right hand to but an ice blockade between them, but the Nomu burst through easily.

She lunged forwards and spun at the last moment, hitting Todoroki with the side of her tail. He gasped as the wind was knocked out of his lungs and he went sailing through the air, out of harm's way. The Nomu's fist collided with the side of her head like a truck, and she staggered, but snapped her jaws down around its torso, biting it in half. She tossed the upper body aside, and reared her head to blast it with fire, but her vision failed and the world went white once more.

When she opened her eyes again, she saw a column of crimson fire before her, immolating the lower half of the beast. Three gunshots rang out through the air, and the upper half of the blue Nomu screeched in pain. Several black figures appeared around her, shielding her from the flames. She looked up weakly through her veil of black hair.

"Tamashini-chan. Are you alright?"

* * *

 **Ectoplasm**

 **Quirk: Clones  
He produces ectoplasm from his mouth and turns it into clones of himself. He can create up to thirty-six replicas at a time, which he can control freely. Also a mathematics teacher at UA.**

* * *

She opened her mouth to reply, but before she got the chance, the clones vanished, disappearing into shreds. New pain blossomed across her chest as the green Nomu squeezed her in its fist. One of her broken ribs pierced into her lung, and she coughed violently. It screeched in her face.

" **Nomu, enough,"** Kurogiri's voice came from behind the creature's shoulder and a portal began to open under its feet. **"Leave her. Endeavor and the other pro heroes from UA are here, we can't afford to dally any further."** The Nomu hissed in protest.

" _Now,_ " Shigaraki grabbed onto the creature's arm, and it squealed in pain as the flesh began to crumble.

The Nomu threw Kaida to the ground roughly. She lay there limply, unable to find the strength to move. The last thing she saw before it was pulled into the portal was the flash of its unnatural claws before her eyes, and the world went dark.

* * *

 _Two days later_

* * *

 **—Todoroki—**

"Shoto."

He set his pencil down and turned towards his door, tensing as the man let himself in.

"Father... what do you want?"

Endeavor scowled. "Your manners could use work," he muttered, and crossed over to Shoto's desk. He tossed a folder over the homework Shoto had been working on. "Take this to the hospital for me."

Scowling, but curious, Shoto lifted the folder. Inside was a sealed letter, a keycard, and an ID badge with his picture and name on it. "What is this?"

"For Tamashini." Enji was already turning to leave.

"No one's allowed to see her except family," Shoto muttered. The previous day, most of their class had gone to see the hero of the USJ incident, but the staff had turned them away.

"That's why you have the badge and card. I have connections and shares in that hospital, you have privileges that your other common classmates wouldn't have."

"Why can't you go yourself?" Shoto closed the folder. "I'm studying."

"I'm busy, with more important things than your studying." Endeavor muttered a retort, and shut the door firmly behind him.

* * *

Shoto hesitated. _Room M-3110... 3112... 3114..._ He paused. Kaida's room was 3116, if the receptionist had told him correctly.

He felt uncomfortable going up to the hospital staff and winding his way through the halls, with the ID his father had given him dangling around his neck. Even though it seemed perfectly legitimate, it made him hyper-conscious of his father's influential position in society... and everything that Endeavor stood for. Shoto gritted his teeth, and continued down the hall.

 _Tamashini, K._

Her name was in the plaque by the door, which was propped open. He knocked on the frame anyway.

"Come in."

He adjusted his jacket and messenger bag, and stepped around the corner and into the room. Kaida's father rose from his seat. "Oh. Todoroki-kun... I didn't expect to see any of her classmates after the rest of you got driven off the other day," he laughed. "Did you just come to visit?"

Kaida was asleep, a heartbeat monitor clipped to her finger. By the hospital bed, Hagane stirred slightly, cracking his eyes open. He had been dozing with his steel jaw in one hand, his elbow leaning against the plush armrest of the chair he'd pulled over. "...Hm? What're you doing here?"

Shoto blinked, reaching into his bag. "I'm just dropping this off," he said, a bit uncomfortable in their company. "Something from my father, for her. And as far as I know, the family-only visiting rule is still in place... they just made an exception so I could run delivery."

"Mph." Hagane regarded Shoto, his amber eyes glowing, expression unreadable.

"Oh, I'm sure he didn't mean that as an insult to you," Mr. Kirisaki ruffled Kaiketsu's hair affectionately. "You're practically family, after all." Hagane _hmph'_ ed again and shifted his weight, glancing at Kaida with another indecipherable glance. "That being said... it's getting to be around dinnertime. You should head back to your folks."

"I suppose," he sighed. "My sister texted asking for help with her homework earlier... I should probably do that before it gets too late."

Kaida's father nodded. "Would you like me to give you a ride? It'll save you the bus fare. It's the least I can do for all the time you've spent here keeping me company."

"If you don't mind, yeah, I'd appreciate it." Kaiketsu threw his coat over his shoulders.

Mr. Kirisaki turned to Shoto. "If you don't have anywhere else to be this evening, would you mind keeping her company while I'm gone? I shouldn't be too long."

"She's asleep..." Shoto glanced over at the bed.

"She's woken up a few times," Hagane said, crossing to the door. "Not often, but it's progress."

"Only a few times...? I would've thought Recovery Girl had been by to speed things along."

"That's not how Recovery Girl's Quirk works," Hagane sighed tiredly. "She boosts her target's natural ability to heal, but at the expense of the energy it takes for the body to mend itself."

"And Kaida has been incredibly weak," Mr. Kirisaki said quietly. "It was too dangerous to try anything like that on her, even after she came out of surgery on the first day. But she's been stable since... and it would seem that her own Quirk gives her some sort of slightly accelerated healing factor. At least, that's how it was with her mother." He cleared his throat, and offered Shoto a smile. "At any rate... you don't have to stay if you have things to get to. Like I said, I'll be back shortly. Come on, Hagane-kun."

Shoto gave them a slight bow as they slipped out of the room. Hagane returned it with a suspicious glance, then turned and left quickly.

"...It's a weekday, right? You should probably head home too, so you can study."

Shoto turned in surprise at Kaida's soft voice. She blinked her eyes open slowly. They lacked their usual internal luster, but she still cracked a small smile, wincing as she sat up.

"You're awake," Shoto said, stating the obvious. "Why didn't you say good-bye to Hagane and your father?"

"Kaiketsu would've wanted to stay," Kaida waved her hand. "And my father was right, his family probably misses him. They've been closer as of late, and it's important for him to maintain that." She coughed slightly, and sank back down onto her pillows.

"Don't talk too much, you should be resting," Shoto went over to the bedside, his eyes trailing across the bandages on her brow and cheek, and those peeking out from her hospital gown.

"I'm a mess, I know. It's... embarrassing to be seen like this." She looked away. "I'll be alright on my own; you really don't have to stay."

"I came to drop this off for you," Shoto pulled the letter out of his bag. "Oh... and this." From another pocket, he fished out a green pen, and set both on the table beside her bed.

"Heh. Where'd you find that? It's my favorite, but I didn't even get the chance to realize it was missing... and in the envelope: class notes?"

He found himself chuckling. "No, that's from Endeavor. It's probably a blunt note in bad taste and unsavory tone."

"I'll take your word for it and read it when I'm feeling better, then." She laughed softly, and winced again.

Shoto gripped the handle of the gurney tightly. "I'm sorry that things... turned out like this. You were really looking forwards to USJ, too."

"You shouldn't apologize," Kaida flicked his knuckles lightly.

"Well... you protected all of us. And me, especially, when I got into a bit more than I could handle."

"I went a little overboard, too," she smiled crookedly. "The dragon wouldn't have let me _not_ play hero, though. And my mother's ghost."

"You could've died," Shoto said bluntly, staring her down. He remembered the last time he'd seen her, broken body cradled in Endeavor's arms as he handed her off to the paramedics.

"I would've come back and haunted you," she shot back, not skipping a beat. "If I went and died without ever knowing what it was you were supposed to tell me."

He laughed incredulously. "That's not funny."

"Seems like it is, by your reaction," she smirked. "At any rate, I'll be alright. I'm just tired, and Elysium's tired, but I'll be back before you know it. Do you miss me at the antisocial lunch table?"

"That would defeat the purpose of it being antisocial in the first place," Shoto said stoically, raising an eyebrow. "...but it's been rather quiet."

"Heh." She let out a long, slow exhale.

"...you should be resting," he repeated.

"Probably," she admitted, closing her eyes. "...but you still owe me a talk. About the other day."

He was amused and surprised at her persistence. _In spite of everything that happened, she's still hung up on_ that _of all things?_ He sighed. "When you're out of here, let me know. I'm not trying to get in trouble with your doctors for keeping you up and chatty."

"How am I supposed to let you know? I don't have telepathic abilities. Or your cell number."

He sighed again, and picked up her green pen, scribbling on one corner of the envelope. "You do now. The latter, at least."

"Good," Kaida cracked one eye open, smiling slightly. Her breathing quickly evened out, as she abruptly fell asleep, her head rocking slightly to the side.

Shoto watched as her expression softened, and then turned towards the door. He paused, just before the threshold. Then he sighed for a third time, and sat himself down in the chair that Hagane had left beside the bed.

* * *

 ** _Next Chapter: Showcase_**


	5. V: Showcase (Pt 1)

**Chapter Five: Showcase  
** _Part I: Exposé_

* * *

 **—Midoriya—**

 _"Just sit and watch a bit, why don't you? As your father's legacy goes to waste."_

"Nyaagh!"

Izuku flailed wildly into the waking world, falling off of his bed in the process. He sat in a disgruntled heap on the All-Might-colored carpet, sheets still clutched tightly in hand. His heart thudded violently in his chest, and he leaned back on his elbows, blinking slowly.

He jumped when the door flew open.

"The hell are you doing in here?"

"Eh? Kacchan?"

Katsuki folded his arms and scowled. "It's almost eight-fuckin-o'clock already, why are you not ready to go?"

Izuku looked helplessly at his phone alarm, sitting silently on his bedside table. He poked the screen, and the display read: **Alarm - 7:10 PM**

 _...PM? Not AM?_ He groaned and scrambled to his feet. "Stupid mistake with the alarm... I'm sorry. You can go ahead without me, I don't want to make you late because of—"

"Like hell I'll go without you," Katsuki scowled harder. "You're not going anywhere alone, not after that crap at USJ. We've been over this. So get your shit together and hurry downstairs, I'll be eating the breakfast your mom made for you."

They made it to campus barely on time, by some miracle of a sprint. The other trailing students were still shuffling down the halls, and the two boys were able to blend in decently well. They pulled up outside 1-A, and Bakugo cleared his throat.

"Oi, out of the way, nerd."

He shoved past Izuku and into the classroom, for effect. Izuku smiled a small smile to himself, folding away the hoodie into his backpack before making his way in himself.

"MIDORIYA-KUN." Iida stood, his chair clattering backwards. "I was just in the middle of reprimanding Bakugo for his tardiness—"

Izuku glanced over at Bakugo, who had his chin in his hand and was staring off into space, clearly not having paid Iida any attention.

"—and you're here even MORE tardy? This is unacceptable! Unbecoming of a student such as yourself! We of the hero course must be the utmost in terms of role models for all first-years in UA's student—!"

"Sit."

All eyes turned to the door as a familiar yellow blob wobbled in. The zipper on the sleeping bag dragged down slowly, and it plopped to the floor.

"A-Aizawa?"

The teacher glared at his students through the small slit in his bandages, which were wrapped carefully to allow him to see. He scowled, and winced from the motion. "Did you not hear me? Sit." His voice was threateningly monotonous.

"Teacher… isn't it too soon for you to be back?" Ashido tentatively asked as she slid into her seat.

"No. I'm fine." Aizawa shuffled some papers on his podium. "And Tamashini will be back soon as well. She's doing much better."

Izuku let out an exhale of relief. He'd been worrying about Kaida since he and the others had been chased off from their attempt to pay her a visit. _It's not like there's a good way for me to contact her._ As soon as the thought crossed his mind, a solution bubbled to the surface. _Oh… maybe Hagane-kun would give me her number? Then I could send her a message myself and see how she's doing…_

"That being said," the teacher was continuing, and re-captured Izuku's attention, "Principal Nezu has decided that we ought to disclose to the student body our findings regarding the villain attack at USJ." The class fell into complete silence. Even Bakugo's idle foot-tapping stopped.

"From reviewing the security footage, referencing police reports and other investigative efforts, the group that made the break-in is a collective known as the League of Villains. While some of their agents are registered citizens, and some have even been identified and taken into custody, they are still very much at large." Aizawa glanced slightly towards Izuku. "The police and pro heroes are doing their best to gather further intel on the apparent leader of the group, 'Tomura Shigaraki,' and the warp gate villain, 'Kurogiri.' We have yet to discern the full extent of their network, and who the real mastermind might be… but please be assured that you are safe here, and greater security measures will be taken in all off-campus trips in the future."

Aizawa paused, and cleared his throat. "All this being said… we have a more pressing matter to attend to."

 _Eh?_ Izuku felt the tension in the room rise further. _More pressing?_

"In the tumultuous nature of today's society, it is important for people to remember what heroes stand for. UA's annual sports festival is in less than a fortnight… and you all need to start getting prepared."

The tension evaporated, and the students chattered excitedly.

"The sports festival…!"

"Hell yeah!"

"What an awesomely _normal_ highschool thing!"

Izuku exhaled in relief. He thought back to all the years he'd spent watching the UA sports festival on television with his mom, and a grin appeared on his face. _It's my turn now… I'm here! I'm really here._

* * *

 **—Tamashini—**

"...Don't you have some sort of training in the afternoons? It's a Friday." Kaida blinked at Kaiketsu.

"Yeah, which means your dad's at work, and someone had to come pick you up."

"It's okay for you to skip class but not okay for him to take the afternoon off?"

Kaiketsu shrugged. "I volunteered. Besides, it's fine. I can't do much in a lot of the combat training anyway because my Quirk can injure people too easily. And if I wanna just punch things I can do that at the dojo."

Kaida laughed. "Fair enough, I suppose."

A nurse knocked lightly on the doorframe as she entered the room. "Miss Tamashini, your father has just faxed over your discharge papers, and you're free to leave whenever you're ready." She bowed deeply, and left a copy of some files on Kaida's bedside.

"Thank you," Kaida returned the gesture by inclining her head as well. When the nurse left, she sighed, adjusting the collar of her shirt as she picked up the shoulder bag with her belongings. "They could've let me go a few days ago," she muttered.

"It's better to be safe than sorry," Kaiketsu stared her down. "You do a good job of putting up a tough face, but you weren't exactly at peak health a few days ago."

Kaida didn't meet his eyes as they made their way down the hall, and out of the hospital. "Are we taking the bus?"

"Don't change the subject," Kaiketsu clicked his jaws together tersely.

She sighed. "I'm honestly surprised that you hadn't given me grief before this about the whole incident. What do you want me to say? I can't apologise, you know that."

"I want you to value your damn life." They stopped by the elevators and he glowered down at her. "I get that your 'destiny' or whatever is to protect… _everything_ , but for fuck's sake. Who's out there protecting _you_?"

"Elysium," Kaida replied distantly. She slipped into the elevator as soon as the doors slid open.

"That doesn't count."

"If I named any of the teachers or the pro heroes, you'd grumble that they've already failed. If I mention Midoriya, or Todoroki, you'd state their inexperience." She finally turned towards him, and stared back." I hope you're not implying that you could have done a better job, had you been there?"

"I would've stopped you from being so rash, at least."

Kaida laughed humorlessly. "No, you couldn't have." Her expression softened. "...I shouldn't be so apathetic, at least not towards you."

He put his hand on her shoulder. "It's the way you get sometimes, I know that. You can be a stubborn little thing."

She smirked and squeezed his hand, before pulling it off. "That's a rude thing to say, you know."

On the ride back to Kaida's house, the bus rolled past UA's campus. Kaida stared out the window and sighed. "I've missed almost a whole week…"

Kaiketsu rolled his eyes, leaning back against his seat. "You'll be fine, genius that you are. Oh, but I wanted to mention — were you aware of the sports festival?"

"Aware of it? ...who isn't?"

"I didn't know if you were planning on participating… it's next week." He scratched his nose. "I mean, you don't need to be looking to get scouted or anything, and you're pretty much the hero of all the other first-years as it is, so where's the glory?"

Kaida remembered Elysium's advice, on the way to USJ. "I will participate," she said decisively. "It's not about glory, or scouting opportunities… it's about doing what everyone else is doing." She looked down. "I hope you understand that… I still want to do what I can to experience UA before everything that'll come after."

Kaiketsu smiled. "Of course I get that."

A chime caught both of their attention, and Kaida reached into her bag for her phone. "Hm? I don't recognise this number…" She squinted at the text.

 _Hi! It's Midoriya. I hope you don't mind that I sourced your number from your friend in class B— just wanted to see how you're doing!_

Kaida paused and looked up at Kaiketsu accusingly. He shrugged. "If you're out to 'experience UA,' then I think you oughtta be making more friends. Midoriya seemed earnest enough. Don't worry, I'm not handing out your contact details to every random person."

"Hmph." Kaida sighed. _It's okay if it's Midoriya, I suppose._ "I _am_ making friends. You bullied me into not sitting with you at lunch, remember?"

Kaiketsu's expression soured. "...so you made _one_ friend. You and Todoroki huddle at that little table like a two-person clique."

"Is that jealousy I'm hearing?" Kaida teased. "Hey, you brought this upon yourself. You know well enough that I don't get along well with big groups of other girls. But if it'll make you happier, I'll see about hanging out with Midoriya sometime," she waggled her phone, the little blue mochi charm and bell jingling from its small chain on the wristband.

"Don't patronize me," Kaiketsu muttered. "...but yeah, I think that'll be good for you."

* * *

 **—Todoroki—**

"I… I'm sorry that you're still stuck in here. It's unfair."

Rei Todoroki smiled softly at her son, her grey eyes crinkling.. "Shoto. I'm okay here. It's better for me than it would be with your Father… and you know that."

"I do."

"And you're kind enough to come visit me; that's all I ask if you."

"I would be much worse off if we hadn't put the past behind us, Mother," Shoto sighed.

"Mm." Rei sat back in her chair. "There's enough grief in this world as it is. Do your best to keep your eyes on the good."

 _The good..._ Shoto glanced at his phone. "...do you think Kaida's out of the hospital by now? Aizawa said that she was doing better."

His mother smiled again. "Give her time. She'll come around… and I hope you do, too. Now, isn't it time for you to get going? You should head home and study, so you can be ready for the festival next week."

"Yeah…" Shoto reluctantly shouldered his bag and stood.

She brushed his bangs aside, and gave him a light kiss on the forehead. "I hope I'll see you soon on the big screen," she said, pointing at the television across from her couch.

 _...for an institution, at least it's comfortably-furnished._ "I'll do my best," he looked back at his Mother, and took his leave.

* * *

"Keep the change." He stepped out of the taxi, and stared up at the short gravel walkway to his front door. His father's car was parked in the driveway, and he scowled inwardly.

He found the door slightly ajar, and pushed it open curiously. Endeavor was seated on the bench in the foyer, and looked up as the door swung open. "Oh, it's just you. What were you doing out? You're supposed to be studying."

"It's the weekend," Shoto said obstinately, avoiding the question. "What are _you_ doing?"

"Waiting for Tamashini." The red-haired man folded his broad arms across his chest. "She's late."

 _Sunday_. Shoto remembered the last time he'd seen Kaida at his home, in the training room — and the state she'd been in the aftermath. "Are you kidding?" He gritted his teeth, and took a step towards his father.

Enji stood up immediately, to stare down at his son. "Excuse me?"

"She almost _died_. She's been in the _hospital_. And you're really insensitive enough to other people that you'd—"

He was cut off by an abrupt backhand to the side of his jaw. Shoto clenched his teeth, turning slowly to stare back up at his father.

"Who do you think you are, taking that tone with me?" Enji's voice was dangerously low.

There was a knock at the door before their conflict could continue. Both of the Todoroki's looked up — the door hadn't shut properly behind Shoto, and it slowly opened again as the visitor tentatively made her entrance.

"I… hope I'm not arriving at a bad time," Kaida said, uncharacteristically awkward. Her eyes traveled to the red, bruising mark on Shoto's face, and she blinked at him, her expression unreadable.

"You can make yourself comfortable in the dining room," Endeavor said. "I'll join you shortly… Fuyumi should have some tea on the table, and you'll find your packages there as well."

Kaida gave a short bow. "Alright." She glanced sideways at Shoto as she passed, and then disappeared around the corner.

He watched her go. His father spoke again. "It's acceptable for you to care for her. But you're far from a worthy partner to Elysium… at least until you get over yourself and use your damned full potential."

"Tch." Shoto turned sharply, stifling the burning anger in his chest. "I didn't ask for your acceptance for anything. Screw you." He grabbed his bag, and went to his room.

* * *

There was a light knock on his door. "Todoroki? May I come in?"

He paused at the familiar voice, the page of his mathematics textbook half-turned in hand. He flipped it closed, and looked up at the door from his low seat at the table in the center of his tatami mats. "...Yes."

Kaida cracked the door open and stepped in quietly, closing it again behind her. She looked around, nodding approvingly. "I like your room; I've always been a fan of simple and elegant traditional decor."

Shoto looked at her quietly. The luminescence in her eyes had returned, and she was dressed comfortably in a light button-down and jeans. "I didn't know you were out of the hospital, you never texted." His words came out more accusingly than he'd intended, and he winced.

She sat down across the table from him, setting the two metal cases in her hands beside her as she folded her knees up against her chest. "I'm sorry. I've always been more inclined towards speaking in person, and when I read your father's letter, I hoped to see you today." She tapped the cases. "Aside from a lecture – in poor taste, as you'd insinuated – he got me a fresh set of costumes, since my last one didn't hold up too well at USJ. A few improvements to my mother's design, and an alternate one, for when I'm not trying to be excessively noticeable."

"I'd thought he had you come here for training…" Shoto looked down.

"Oh, if he had made a request like that, _my_ father would never have let me so soon after this week," she waved her hand. "I'm the picture of health, by the way. You'd almost think nothing happened, except for this—" she brushed her long hair aside slightly, revealing the thinnest and faintest of scars along her brow and cheekbone. "—and a couple others, here and there, which are easy enough to cover up. But they're all barely noticeable; they patched me up well."

He was struck by her forwardness, and her response to his questions before he could even ask about how she was doing. Before he could open his mouth to reply, she suddenly reached over the table, and barely brushed his cheek. He felt the throbbing ache fade away immediately. Kaida sat back and looked away. Shoto frowned.

"...you didn't have to do that."

She rolled her own jaw slightly. "He packs a punch, which I'm familiar enough with… heh."

"He does." Shoto sighed. "I'm familiar, too."

"I'm not surprised," the corner of her mouth twitched downwards. "He doesn't seem to be on great terms with anyone here."

"He's not."

Kaida's frown tinged with worry. "Was I too presumptuous in thinking to just show up unannounced? ...I'm sorry; if I should leave you be, I can head home—"

"No, it's alright; I don't mean to be short with you, if that's how I'm coming across... I'm not used to having visitors, is all. I haven't spent any time with our classmates outside of UA, and middle school was similarly socially barren." He drummed his fingers lightly on the textbook in front of him. "There was this girl who I would study with from time to time... Momo Yaoyorozu. I'm sure you've heard of that hero family name before. She didn't have many friends either, but we were both at the top of our class, so," he shrugged, trailing off.

"She didn't apply to UA?"

"Well, she was recommended, of course. But her family had to move out of the area, because her father's company was relocating to Osaka. I think she ended up at Shinketsu High instead."

"Just as respectable a name as UA, though," Kaida smiled. "That's too bad; between the Top Three, an Iida and a Yaoyorozu, UA would have had quite the roster of first-years to boast..." Her smile faded. "Not everything should be about names, though."

"But it is." Shoto thought back to their first day.

 _"You're Endeavor's son, aren't you? I've heard a lot about you."_

 _"...Yes, I am. And I, you – the new Elysium."_

"I know I came here to let _you_ talk," Kaida interrupted his thoughts. She leaned back on one arm, lifting her other hand and producing the soft blue glow of her Quirk, playing the light through her fingers. "But in a world like this, the only way I live with myself is by the adjustments I've had to make to my worldview." She closed her hand into a fist, running her thumb along her knuckles. "After my mother died, Elysium chose me because I'm the only Tamashini still around. No siblings, no cousins, nothing like that. It's a responsibility I never asked for, but a fate that's always been mine since I was born. But the point isn't fate, or birthright… no matter who you are, there's only one of you in the world. And even when you have no one; at the end of the day as long as you're true to yourself, you have that to hold on to."

"You don't have no one, though. From what little I've seen of your father, it seems you have a good relationship."

She slid her eyes over to him. "He's a wonderful father, and he was a wonderful husband. But that didn't change my mother's identity, and it doesn't change mine either. Why do you think she assigned me her last name, and not his?" She shrugged. "But I suppose that's just my rambling two cents."

"I've always been beholden to my family," Shoto began slowly. _After she's said all that, I owe her the address I promised a few weeks ago._ He ran a hand over the scar on the left side of his face. "When I was very young, my mother gave me this. But I never had the heart to blame her for it. My father selected my mother for her Quirk... an arranged marriage, of sorts. And of all my siblings, I'm the only one that inherited the half-and-half genes that he desired. At that young age, he began to start my training."

Kaida nodded silently, and he knew from her expression that she had the empathy to pick up on what he'd experienced.

He continued. "My mother tried to protect me from him… and he began to abuse her, too. I started being more and more separated from my siblings – Touya, Natsuo, and Fuyumi – as he tried to condition me to become everything he wanted. Touya disappeared; my father said he probably committed suicide. My mother snapped soon after, and when she threw boiling water over the left half of my face... I knew that she burned me out of her hatred for him, but moreso out of the fear of what I'd become. She was institutionalized that night, and my father's kept her there ever since." He put a hand over his blue eye. "...I love my mother. I love my siblings. They're my family, but I will never forgive my father for how he's treated us. I refuse to be an instrument of his ego, just for the sake of fueling his pride."

Kaida was silent for a bit as he concluded his story. "I told you before, on the day we first met, that I didn't claim Elysium as part of my Quirk. Quirks are supposed to be physical abilities... the power over the aura of life and fire within, that's what I was born with. But I've thought about it, and I've realized that I have to _choose_ to make it mine. The dragon and your father could teach me to fight all day, every day, but it's meaningless if I never execute that training in combat." Shoto thought of the scene at USJ, the blood and the brutality of the battle, and the dragon at the heart of it all. "I didn't think twice at USJ when I shifted," Kaida said, as if she could read his thoughts. "And it wasn't just about turning away the selfishness of rejecting necessity… at least, I hope not."

"You're so far from being selfish," Shoto shook his head, and smiled the smallest of smiles at how ridiculous the notion was. "You put everything on the line for us. You've risen to walk the road that was paved out for you."

"If you don't mind me saying... I don't think you have to walk the path your father wants you to." Her eyes were piercing, and her voice almost sounded ethereal, as she said, "You can pave your own road, Todoroki Shoto."

"...if you're insisting on me calling you Kaida, we have to both be on a first-name basis."

Kaida laughed. "Tell you what, I'll call you Shoto if you promise to take what I said to heart."

"How do you mean?"

She looked out the window, at the pinking sky as evening approached. "When you choose. Whatever it is you choose – it's a road we'll eventually walk together. You, Midoryia and I… whatever the future holds, we'll have to stand together."

"I wish I had your…" Shoto searched for the right word. "Confidence. Wherewithal."

"If I could lend you some, I would," Kaida laughed lightly. "Those rambling thoughts are all I can offer, though." She stood, picking up her cases. "I ought to be home for dinner. Thanks for letting me intrude… but I'm glad that something came of my intrusiveness."

"Getting to know each other?" Shoto thought of the rest of their conversation at their first lunch.

 _"We'll be colleagues soon enough, so we'll be getting to know each other one way or another eventually. Just a little soon today."_

"Time waits for no one," she seemed to be following his wavelength. "'Eventually' is here… and tomorrow is closer than we'd think."

"Philosophical, as always. You'll have to be patient if you're vying to get me on board with your confident plan to conquer change and seize tomorrow… I'm still working on today. At any rate – I'll walk you out."

Kaida walked to the other side of the table, and extended her hand. "Midoriya is the sort to sprint ahead, sooner or later. But as for me, you don't need to worry about being left behind."

He took her hand, surprising himself with his lack of hesitation. Standing up, Shoto was just a couple of inches taller than her, but he still regarded her with a look of wonder. _Maybe it's the dragon… but she's something else, that's for sure._ Kaida flicked his knuckles again, like she'd done at the hospital. "Don't give me that look..."

"What look?" Shoto muttered.

She looked down, with the ghost of a smile. "For all the talk I can put up… I want to live in today as much as possible, too. So don't look at me like I'm something far away, when I'm trying so hard to be right here."

He tipped her chin up with one finger, and stared down into her eyes. _She's right here._ "Okay. I won't."

The slightest blush rose in Kaida's cheeks. "Thank you, Todoroki."

Suddenly self-conscious of his touch and their closeness, Shoto cleared his throat. "No, thank _you_. You've given me a lot to think about – and that's much better than the handful of thoughts I chase around in circles most days."

"You're very welcome," she said, genuinely. "I hope you find something worthwhile to chase after. I believe that you will."

* * *

 ** _To be continued._**


	6. VI: Showcase (Pt 2)

**Chapter Six: Showcase**  
 _Part II — Main Stage_

* * *

 **—Midoriya—**

"Oh! Are you studying too, Deku-kun?" Uraraka peered over Izuku's shoulder.

"Eh?" He fumbled with his pencil, dropping it under the row of seats. "Erm, no... just taking notes."

"On this... nonsense," Kaida pointed at the stage below them with Izuku's dropped pencil before clipping it back onto his notebook, and turning back to her English homework disinterestedly. At the center of the arena, Kirishima and Tetsutetsu were locked in a wrestling match.

* * *

 **Eijiro Kirishima**

 **Quirk: Hardening**  
 **He has the power to harden and sharpen any part of his body, providing him with excellent offensive powers. It doubles as defense against not only physical attacks, but also elemental damage.**

* * *

 **Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu**

 **Quirk: Steel**  
 **He has the power to turn his body into steel, providing him with great defensive ability. It also increases the strength of his unarmed attacks.**

* * *

Izuku tapped his pencil thoughtfully against his chin. "At first glance, it seems like their Quirks are really similar, but I think there are some differences – Kirishima's is based on his stamina output and also his current stamina pool, while Tetsutetsu seems more able to retain his form regardless of stamina... perhaps it's a nutrition-based affect? If that's the case, then..."

"Deku-kun, you're muttering a lot again," Uraraka grinned, and plopped herself down next to him, opposite from Kaida. The other girl sat perfectly upright in her seat, as she scripted line after line in silence. A lock of hair fell across her lap, and she blew it aside idly.

"Oh, sorry," Izuku pressed his lips together, not realizing that he'd been talking aloud. He looked up at Uraraka. Aside from a bandage across one cheekbone and a few lingering hints of bruises, she was relatively well-patched up given how brutally she'd lost the fight against Katsuki a few matches ago. "How are you holding up?"

Uraraka's tireless smile remained, and she flexed her tiny arms exaggeratedly. "I'm great! And I'll do better next time," she said, raising her voice in the hopes that Bakugo could hear her from where he sat a few rows back.

"You're not as frail as you look," Katsuki muttered, blatantly responding to her passive comment. "I might've killed ya out there if your dumbass kept getting up."

"Hmph." Uraraka folded her arms, and leaned forwards on her knees. "So," she turned back to address Izuku, "do you just keep a diary or something?"

"This?" Izuku flipped his notebook. "Well... kind of, I guess. I like to write about Quirks that I encounter. It's my way of getting to know people. Is that weird?"

"It's fuckin' stalker-ish, you damn nerd," Bakugo muttered again from behind them. Izuku reddened.

Kaida sighed loudly. "I'm going to find Kaiketsu, and then sit on deck for round two – if you guard my stuff, you can copy my homework," she offered.

"Deal," Izuku gave her a thumbs-up. But I should probably do it for myself before I'd copy, he thought. As soon as Kaida left the viewing gallery, Kaminari and Mineta slid up to Izuku.

"Hey... you should share that generous offer, y'know," Mineta reached greedily for the sheafs of looseleaf with Kaida's neat handwriting.

"Sharing is caring," Kaminari urged.

"No," Izuku scooped Kaida's belongings out of harm's way, putting them under his notebook on his lap. "Vultures," he muttered.

* * *

 **—Tamashini—**

She stepped lightly down the two flights of stairs, and found Kaiketsu just making his way out of the waiting room.

"Oh, hey."

"'Hey,' yourself," she smiled and elbowed him.

Present Mic's voice boomed through the arena and hallways.

 **"AND THEY BOTH GO DOWN! LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE HAVE A TIE! We'll deal with this later with a tiebreaker event... like arm-wrestling! Or something! But for now, brace yourselves for the second round!"**

"That's you and Todoroki," Kaida said. "I'm sure you don't need coaching up, though, after what you did to poor Shiozaki."

"Oh, she's fine." Kaiketsu waved his hand. "If it hurt every time someone cut her hair, she'd have way more quality-of-life issues. Plus, the girl's a living saint; she's not the type to hold a grudge over a lost match."

* * *

 **Ibara Shiozaki**

 **Quirk: Vines**  
 **She grows green, thorny vines from her head, which she can extend and detach at will. They provide an excellent long-ranged offense, as well as the potential to create an insulating barrier of defense.**

* * *

"And," Kaiketsu continued, "she's probably one of the only people in our year who I can afford to go all-out on." He glanced at his hand, a faint, familiar glow rising around his knuckles where his forged claws would come out. "If I don't want things to get too messy."

"A little blood never hurt anyone." Kaida chuckled. "Besides, you're not the only one among is with the potential to do a lot of harm with a Quirk... that's why we've got Recovery Girl at the ready."

"That being said, I wouldn't mind roughing up pretty boy a bit," Kaiketsu cracked his knuckles. "He walks around all high and mighty and thinks he's untouchable... ugh." He shook his head and started making his way towards the arena entrance.

Kaida frowned and looked away, following a bit behind. "He's... going to be a strong opponent, you know." She subdued the defensive tone in her voice.

"Oh, I know. I don't need warnings. Or 'coaching up,' honestly. It's just nice to have your support," he muttered.

"Hey, you know you always do," Kaida tugged on his sleeve. "Don't be like that."

Kaiketsu looked over his shoulder as they came to the arena entrance, the outside air drafting into the tunnel. He regarded her with his orange glower, and then with a creak, offered her a smile. "Yeah. I know. Melt me down if I become a human popsicle, alright?"

"You got it."

* * *

 **—Todoroki—**

He walked down the hallways with his hands in his pockets, as Present Mic's voice echoed over the PA.

 **"AND THEY BOTH GO DOWN! LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE HAVE A TIE! We'll deal with this later with a tiebreaker event... like arm-wrestling! Or something! But for now, brace yourselves for the second round!"**

"Shoto."

He felt the heat and saw the flickers of orange light coming from the stairwell before his father stepped into view, but he kept walking. Endeavor's heavy footsteps caught up, and Shoto stared up at the man. "Get out of the way."

"Don't be ridiculous," Enji scowled, the flames on his beard twitching. "Do you really think you can rise to the top with your childish petulance? I'm surprised you even made it past the second round."

"I don't need you or your Quirk to win this." Shoto tried to step past his father, but Enji stuck his broad arm out, blocking the path. Shoto fixed his eyes on the sunlight past his father's shoulder, and the distant din of the crowd in the arena.

"The tape boy you fought in the first round and this trap-jawed punk are stepping stones on a much longer road. You're a fool to think you could stand up to Midoriya or Tamashini with only half of your full potential."

"No one is a stepping-stone," Shoto gritted his teeth. "Just because you assign worth to people based on their relative strength doesn't mean that changes their value as an opponent, or their place in society."

"That's where you're wrong." Enji huffed contemptuously. "Our world is one defined by strength. There is too much evil and villainy in our time to waste our days dabbling in unnecessary philosophy. It's simple — there are those who win, and those who lose. You were not born to lose, Shoto. You were born to be a hero."

"Get out of my way," Shoto said, his voice dangerously quiet.

"Excuse me, Endeavor-san." On cue, a polite, but firm female voice echoed down the hallway. Enji tore his furious glare away from his son. As he turned, the light at the end of the tunnel put him into silhouette, and Shoto caught sight of Midnight striding down the hall from the arena entrance, a scowl etched across her face as she twirled her small whip between her fingers. "I don't believe you're allowed to be down here," she stared up at Endeavor coolly, resting her free hand on her hip. "...Now, I don't know what kind of arrangements you have with the public or your familial issues, but you do not have the authority to do as you please while on our campus. And you are currently delaying a tournament match."

She reached over and pulled Shoto over to her curvy side, plastering him to her hip, and smiled disarmingly at his father. "Do enjoy the festival, though. Perhaps you could go get some takoyaki to have as a snack while you spectate~?" Without giving him a chance to reply, she spun around sharply, and marched back down the way she came, her heeled boots clicking on the tiled floor.

Shoto cracked his knuckles, his nails digging into the palms of his hands. Midnight patted his shoulder. "Chin up, Todoroki. The sports festival is for you students to really shine; don't let your old man rain on the parade."

"...Yeah," he replied distantly. _Those who win and those who lose… is it a choice? Or is it simply a matter of circumstance?_ His father's words troubled him.

"Attaboy," Midnight winked, overlooking his inner turmoil, and pushed him out into the sunlight. He squinted against the glare, and walked stoically over to the stage as the crowd cheered.

 **"HEEEERE WE GO!"** Present Mic shrieked over the speakers. **"Let's meet our contenders! From the hero course, the metal machine of a man! The stone-cold steel soldier! KAIKETSU HAGANE!"**

Hagane stared at Shoto from across the stage, clicking his jaw audibly. Shoto glanced back once, and then turned his eyes back to the ground idly.

 **"And the best of the best! Strongest of the strong! Also from the hero course, SHOTO TODOROKI!"**

Shoto closed his eyes. _Stay calm..._ He took a slow, deep breath, trying to slow the angry thudding of his heartbeat. _Now isn't the time to worry about the old man. This is my—_

 **"START!"**

His ears were still ringing from Present Mic's screech when Shoto saw Hagane sprinting at him. His orange eyes were alight with the power of his inner forge, and narrowed into slits. Along his knuckles, red-hot nodes of metal appeared through his skin, before extending into shining steel claws on both hands. Steam wreathed around his fingers as the metal rapidly cooled into a solid state. They slashed through the air, singing with a thin ringing noise, barely a few centimeters from Shoto's face.

Shoto was athletic, but not nearly as built as his opponent – he'd managed to dodge, but the sheer power behind Hagane's swing did not fail to leave an intimidating impression.

"Wake up, Todoroki," Hagane growled. "I'm not going to lie down at your feet for you; don't expect an easy win."

Shoto clenched his teeth, and spun on his heel. He swung his right arm after Hagane's, clipping him in the elbow. Shoto's ice began to spread up the other boy's arm, but Hagane twisted away, with surprising agility for his broad frame. As he created distance between them, Shoto heard the ringing of steel and felt a searing pain in his own forearm, as he staggered backwards. Blood dripped down from five weeping cuts, from his wrist to his elbow.

Hagane flexed his fists, and with a sharp cracking sound, the ice on his frozen arm shattered and fell to the ground. His hand glowed again, and the metal from his knuckles and under his skin rose up to encase his hand and wrist in a spiked, menacing gauntlet. As his other hand transformed, he wiped the back of his claws on the hem of his PE uniform, leaving streaks of Shoto's blood. He raised both fists in a fighting stance, with a subdued snarl.

The crowd stirred into a frenzy, and Mic screamed over them, " **HAGANE DRAWS FIRST BLOOD! Unlike his first battle, Todoroki is off to a slow start! What will he do to compensate?"**

Shoto grimaced at the mess of his right arm as the blood dripped down his fingers and onto the concrete at his feet. He knew that the immediate shock was blocking out most of the pain, but he had to act quickly before he lost too much blood. Readying himself for Hagane's next attack, Shoto took a step with his right foot, creating a pillar of ice that lifted him up and over his opponent's head. It carried him across to the opposite side of the stage, doubling as an offensive row of spikes below him. Hagane jumped up in time, latching onto the side of the ice bridge with his metal-encased hands, using his claws like ice-picks to swing himself forwards.

"Are you seriously running?" His eyes flared angrily, and the sides of his jaws began to extend, flanking the sides of his head.

His quirk is more complex than what it seems at first glance, Shoto ducked under the next swing as Hagane caught up, dodging the follow-up hook as well. The very tips of the steel claws grazed Shoto's cheek, and winced, spinning low and delivering a kick to Hagane's exposed side. It landed with a heavy, dull thud against his opponent's metal-reinforced ribcage, and Hagane grinned. He grabbed Shoto by the ankle and yanked him closer. "You might have better luck against a Quirk like mine if you got over yourself and used your fire, you know," he taunted. He swung Shoto around and tossed him roughly towards the ground behind them. Shoto barely managed to raise his injured arm in time to summon a small ramp of ice, keeping him from going out-of-bounds. He landed hard, winding himself, and slipped back onto the stage to scramble to his feet.

Frustration burned in Shoto's chest. He'd let himself get hurt too early on – his precision control was much better with a functioning right hand than otherwise. Accompanying his anger, he felt heat spread throughout his fingers on his left side, but clenching up his fist, pushing the reaction away. No. No. I won't resort to that.

 _"You can pave your own road, Todoroki Shoto."_

As Hagane made his next lunge towards Shoto, Shoto's eyes traveled past his opponent's shoulder, to the figure leaning against the wall at the opposite tunnel. Despite the distance, he could make out her bright blue eyes with the same clarity that the memory of her voice elicited in his mind.

In that instant, Shoto braced his injured arm with his left side, and summoned up every ounce of his strength. He fixed his eyes on his opponent, and the frost crept across his torso and down his arm.

"Sorry," he said quietly, his voice quavering ever-so-slightly. "...You're not a stepping-stone. But you're in my way." With a cry, he whipped his right arm upwards, immediately feeling the biting cold from pushing his limit. "Hrragh!" A collective gasp rose from the arena.

Falling onto his back against the barrier he'd made along the stage boundary, Shoto started to prop himself up blearily, wincing as the pain began to catch up to him and at the sight of the scarlet smear he'd left against the blue-white ice. Then he looked up at the shadow of the massive glacier he'd created, rising so high that it blocked out the sun peeking over the edge of the arena. He sank back, feeling the fatigue tugging him down onto the ground as his heavy breaths condensed in the air, the sting of frostbite tingling all over his body. A figure at the edge of the stage caught his attention, her long hair stirred in the cold draft.

 _...Kaida?_

"Hagane... can you move?" She asked, almost tentatively. Shoto's vision focused. No… it was Midnight.

"What does it look like," Hagane hissed, struggling against his ice prison, his head barely peeking out from the bottom of the glacier. Refracted in the ice, his metal armaments glowed fiercely, but did little to melt him free.

Midnight turned towards Shoto.

"Then... Todoroki, can you stand?"

 _I must._ He rolled painfully onto his good side, and slowly rose to his feet, his legs trembling.

 **"AMAZING! Overkill, maybe, but a SPECTACULAR VICTORY by Todoroki!"** The crowd erupted into cheers. Shoto swayed, his arm still bleeding freely, but took a step towards Hagane.

"I'm... sorry." he forced himself to meet the other boy's eyes. Hagane glared back coldly.

"I don't need your apologies. Don't even think about coming over here, unless you want a bite taken out of you."

A blue glow lit up the stage, weaving its way up the length of the glacier, creating a myriad of sparkling lights before the ice began to come down in small rivulets of water. A tongue of the same-colored flame snaked around to their side, melting Hagane out of the ice. He snapped his jaws together loudly, soaked in the melted ice-water.

 **"Oh? And we're even given a light show by Tamashini! What a way to clean up the stage!"**

As the last of the glacier came down, Hagane walked through the slush, pushing past the girl at the mouth of the tunnel. Her blue flames drifted with a flicker, then faded away into small wisps of light. As Hagane stormed past, she turned to follow him. Just as she was about to disappear into the shadows of the tunnel, Shoto saw her glance over her shoulder, with the shadow of a smile.

* * *

 **—Tamashini—**

"Damnit."

Kaiketsu slammed his fist against the wall, crumbling bits of plaster. Kaida leaned against the wall across from him, calmly.

"Useless," he muttered, looking at his hand.

"You were doing well. You had a good start."

He didn't meet her eyes, clenching his fist with a scathing, metallic sound. "He wasn't even trying at the start. As if he thought I wasn't worthwhile or something. Screw that."

Kaida walked across to him, laying a hand gently on his shaking, gauntleted hand. "I'm nearly certain he doesn't think that. And it doesn't matter how you compare to others — everyone is worthwhile."

Kaiketsu laughed bitterly. "Easy enough for you to say. You're sitting at such a high vantage point, it's easy to say something so subjectively. It's different when you're not on top of the world." She flinched.

He pulled away from her, walking away down the hall. The metal along his arms slowly began to retract, his skin smoothing over. "...Sorry. I need space. I don't want to take it out on you."

She let him go in silence. _He'll be okay,_ she assured herself, and turned to make her own way back to her class's box.

* * *

Several matches later, Kaida was making her way through the underbelly of the stadium once more, looking for her assigned waiting room. The day had gone on in a relatively predictable manner; after her fast victory against Tokoyami, overwhelming Dark Shadow with the blinding light of her dragon shift, Kaida was in the quarterfinals. She stopped just outside the door labeled Waiting Room 2, her brow furrowing in curiosity at the rummaging noises coming from within.

 _Isn't this supposed to be empty by now…?_ Slipping her phone half out of her pocket, she double-checked the time: it was seven minutes before the hour. Hm. Tapping three light knocks on the door, she turned the handle and let herself in.

Across the room, she could see a head of somewhat messy, olive-colored hair, crouched down to the point of almost being obstructed by the long white table in the centre of the room. He was fiddling around with the lockers, opening and closing each one as he shuffled down the row. "Aha!" he suddenly exclaimed aloud, "This one'll do."

Kaida instantly recognised his voice. "D-dad?"

Shinji stood up and turned around, dusting off his grey suit and pushing up his glasses. "Oh, there you are, dear!" He proudly produced a blue-and-white wrapped bento, holding it out to her. "I came by to drop this off for you, but then I couldn't find an empty locker to leave it in. I even brought some sticky notes to leave a note for you so that you'd be able to easily find it!" He whipped out a pad of bright green sticky notes from his suit pocket, beaming proudly.

She couldn't help but smile at her father's enthusiasm. "Aren't you supposed to be at work, though?"

"I took an extra-long lunch break. I've been following your progress in the festival on the TV in the office, and when I saw how far you've made it, I knew you must be a little tired – so I insist that you at least have a bite to eat before your next match." He set the bento on the table purposefully, untying the knot and popping the cover off. The scent of hot white rice and stewed beef filled the room.

"I'm nearly certain you're not allowed to be running food delivery between matches, Dad," she steeled herself against the tantalizing scent of the meal. "It's very kind of you to come see me, but I really can't eat right before a fight, though."

"Hm," Shinji tapped his chin thoughtfully. "True, that could lead to an upset stomach. Well, at least eat these, then!" Swapping the lid back onto the box, he popped the upper container open, revealing a bundle of green grapes. Kaida laughed and sat down in the chair beside him obligingly, plucking the fruit out of the box. Her father plopped a hand onto her head, giving her a brief pat. "It's all so terribly exciting, isn't it? What a fun event, the sports festival – in the midst of everything that's been going on lately, I think it was a great decision for UA to go ahead with it in full swing."

"Mhm," Kaida crunched on a grape and swallowed. "Did you get to watch the earlier phases, before the one-on-one battles?"

"I missed the first event, but I got to watch the cavalry battle. Don't you think your team was a bit… over-powered? Being just you and Todoroki, I mean?"

"It wasn't just me and Todoroki," Kaida said, through another mouthful. "We had Hagakure along for the ride, too. She's just… hard to notice."

* * *

 **Toru Hagakure**

 **Quirk: Invisibility**  
 **Her Quirk turns her completely invisible.**

* * *

"Oh, alright, then." Shinji laughed. "Either way, I'm so glad to see that you've made a friend of Enji-san's son. You should have him over sometime!"

"Uh…" Kaida pondered at the thought of their anti-social lunch table being transported into her father's kitchen. She could imagine her father's wide, beaming smile, and a look of great anxiety on Todoroki's face. "I don't think—"

"And Hagane-kun has made so many friends, too!" Her father was already going on. "There was that pretty girl with the green plant hair, and the two boys on his cavalry team; they looked like they were having a good time."

"Yeah, he's settled into his class pretty well," Kaida nodded. She popped the last of the green grapes into her mouth, and stood up, rocking back and forth on her heels for a moment. Picking up the bento, she slid it into an empty locker for later, and turned back to her father, blowing out a puff of air. "I should start making my way out there."

He looked over his shoulder to the clock on the far wall, and nodded, giving his daughter a bright smile and a kiss on the forehead. "Alright, dear. Go on out there and keep making me proud!"

Bidding Shinji farewell, Kaida made her way down the tunnel once more. The din of the crowd echoed along the walls, gradually growing louder and louder. With a wail of feedback, Present Mic's voice shrieked over the crowd.

"ARE WE READY FOR THE QUARTERFINALS? NO! NO ONE CAN BE READY FOR THIS STAGE! Give me a YEAAAAAAAAAAH, ladies and gentlemen!" The crowd offered up a vague, but enthusiastic cheer.

Nearly at the entrance to the arena, Kaida slowed her pace, taking a moment to gather herself.

 _Mother… I hope I'm making_ you _proud, as well._

Elysium's voice give her a reply. _"She watches over you each and every day, with great joy. And witnessing your appreciation for the present… I, too, am pleased."_

 _I suppose I'll take that for what it is._ She stepped out of the tunnel and into the sunlight, shielding her eyes against the sudden glare. Todoroki emerged from the opposite side of the stage, his two-toned hair blowing across his face in the breeze, strands of red overlapping the white. He kept a steady pace, meeting her across the stage.

 **"SHOTO TODOROKI brings his might to the top! The boy born with it all, and everything to prove!"** Kaida saw him frown at Present Mic's words.

 **"But can he stand against Tamashini? The crowned hero of the USJ incident, the girl wonder, the living LEGEND!?"** She winced at her own intro. _That was almost worse._

"Now get ready to CLASH…. And STAAAAAART!"

She lit her fire around her hands, stepping slowly around the center of the stage. "Ready?"

"I'm surprised you're not starting with a shift, after the advantage it gave you in your last battle." He flexed out the fingers on his right hand, sliding one foot in front of the other at the ready.

"Clever of you to be wary, but I'm in no rush to end this quickly." She lifted her hand across. "Do you remember what I said?" she said quietly, just audible enough for him to catch her words before her blue fire blazed across the stage.

"I couldn't forget. So let's do this – right here," Todoroki said, nullifying the flames with a shot of ice. "Right now."

She rushed him. He shot out a row of ice spikes, trying to stop her in her tracks. Kaida's fire blazed the ground around her feet, raising the heat enough to melt the ice as she sprinted forwards. She swung a feint with her left hand, then brought a fist up into his abdomen as he began to block. He coughed, but recovered quickly, kicking out to space her away. He barely clipped her, but she felt the ice casing wrap around her body even from the brief contact. Her fire traveled down her arms and across her torso, the ice rising in steam around her, the dampness keeping her uniform from going alight.

"Tamashini gets the first hit in! Is Todoroki at a type-disadvantage?"

Come on, Todoroki. Get serious. Kaida crouched low, blasting a row of fire towards him. He dodged deftly to the side, skating away.

"I'm just getting started," Todoroki replied as if he could hear her thoughts, gritting his teeth. He suddenly turned sharply, shooting towards her. She prepared her fire around her again, anticipating his next attack. Then she saw him starting to swing his arm low, and the fractals of ice sparkled along the ground – before she could properly react, the colossal glacier was already rising up around her, locking her in completely.

She tried to draw a breath, but found no air in the sudden chill.

"Todoroki tries for a quick immobilizer?! Does she have a response?" Present Mic's narration echoed around her.

She closed her eyes, fighting against the instinctive panic as her heart quickened in the lack of oxygen, her lungs tightening.

Blinding light began to radiate around her, refracting across the crystalline form of the ice. She felt her body resonate with Elysium's power, the pulse dragon-fire enough to free her for a pocket of air. She gasped, and then her wings exploded out around her as she felt the shift rapidly complete. The fire in her scale-feathers melted out the entire bottom of the glacier at once, and she sank her talons into the concrete, the flames fanning out along her wings and back.

The glacier began to topple over the stage. She tented her wings over her head, protecting herself from the chunks and shards of ice raining down on them. She could hear the crowd crying out in alarm, and the rumbling sound of concrete as Cementoss put up a barrier for the spectators. Then, through the small gap between her pinions, she saw the orange blaze ignite before her, and the sudden rush of heat and steam as Todoroki put up his own defense from the toppling ice. As the vapor cleared, and she saw him standing amidst the steam, wide-eyed as the crimson fire danced across his left side. Todoroki's uniform was steaming, soaked in the melted ice-water, but also burnt from his own flames. His face was etched with shock, but as he got line of sight on her, he narrowed his eyes, lifting his trembling, blazing arm towards her. A cone of fire shot across the stage, much like dragon's breath.

Kaida's heart raced with excitement and awe at the raging, unchecked, liberated inferno before her. The adrenaline of battle sang in her ears, and she let her own energy surge up from within. _My own strength… my own power._ Her scalene eyes flared with Elysium's divine spark, oscillated and flourishing, challenging the red fire with the reflection of her own. She released her power with a deafening roar.

 _"An echo of the ultimate move… a fraction of the full extent of the Divine Dragon — Supernova:_

 **Nova flare!**

Her voice and Elysium's echoed as one. She channeled the shockwave forwards, the recoil knocking her back as the force ripped across the stage. She spiked her tail-blades into the ground, stopping herself from being thrown off her feet. As she came to a halt, all of her strength slipped away, and she whited out.

Coming to her senses, she found herself standing shakily on two legs, her head ringing and heart thudding unevenly. Through blurred vision, she saw the torn-up stage before her and the cracks along the concrete wall beyond. Todoroki lay motionless in a pile of rubble.

Alarm dilated in her chest, and she started to take a step towards him, but her legs gave out under her. As she crumpled to the ground, she blearily saw the line of the stage boundary, barely a few inches before her. The arena was in shocked, awed silence, broken by the announcer's voice.

"B-both contestants are out of bounds?! It's unclear who went out first! Officiator, what is your verdict?"

Midnight stepped down from her stand, still a bit wide-eyed, and crossed over to the stage. She frowned. "It's unclear, yes… the glare made it impossible to see what exactly happened. Todoroki is unconscious," she declared. "And Tamashini…"

The sunlight faded around her, and the world went dark.

* * *

The glare of fluorescent lighting above her first entered her eyes as she returned to consciousness. _Where… am I?_

"Oh, you're awake," Recovery Girl's wrinkled smile poked into the edge of Kaida's vision. Kaida blinked and propped herself up. "Easy," the nurse tutted, "your vitals are rather low. Seems you overdid it a bit."

"I'm fine," Kaida insisted, sitting up fully to prove her point. Her head throbbed, but she ignored the pain. "Todoroki…?"

Recovery Girl pulled aside the curtain. The boy was lying on the next bed over, a bandage and cold compress over his forehead, and his arm in a splint. Kaida scrambled to her feet, gripping the edge of his gurney. "He's alright," the old lady said gently, patting her tensed arm. "A few broken bones and a minor concussion, but I've patched him up. Now he's just tired from the healing, especially after the nasty wounds he had earlier today."

Kaida sank back down, trembling slightly. The door opened behind her, but she looked down at the ground, bowing her head. _You shouldn't have let me do that, dragon..._ she thought hollowly.

 _"I have no say in what you choose to do… as you realised yourself, this is your power. You are my vessel, but I am your strength to command."_

"Tamashini?" Recovery Girl tapped Kaida's shoulder, and she looked up. "Your friend's here to see you."

She glanced over her shoulder, a sallow look in her eyes. Kaiketsu was standing in the doorway, holding her wrapped bento in one hand. "Just wanted to make sure you were alright," he muttered. Glancing at Todoroki, he took Kaida's lunchbox and plopped it on the foot of her bed. "Midoriya found this in the locker room, and said it looked like yours. Make sure you eat." Without another word, he left abruptly, shutting the door behind him. Kaida stared at the bento blankly.

Recovery Girl picked it up, sniffing. "Smells good," she commented. "A nice home-cooked meal, and still relatively warm. You should eat before you leave. Want chopsticks, or a spoon?" She shuffled off towards the drawers on her desk.

"I'm… I'm not hungry," Kaida said. "But if it's okay for me to stay a while… until Todoroki wakes up, I'd like to do that. I… I need to speak with him."

"Mmm. Yes, I'll let you stay. I feel sorry for Hagane, though," the nurse commented, with a soft chuckle.

"What do you mean?" Kaida blinked.

The nurse smiled, slipping a pair of disposable chopsticks under the knot on the bento's cloth, and set it on Kaida's lap. "When there is one who cares for you, yet your heart turns you to the other… Ah, don't worry yourself about it, dear," she flapped her hand dismissively. "Just reading the signs."

 _The signs?_ Kaida shook her head, lacking the energy to ponder the comment. Recovery Girl pulled up a chair to Todoroki's bedside, patting it gently. "Sit here," she offered. "I'll clear your bed… with the finals coming up, I'm expecting one of those two in here again."

"The finals? Is the other match already over?"

"They've decided to make Bakugo and Midoriya's semifinals match the grand finals, since I told Midnight that neither you or Todoroki is going to be fit for another match. They declared it a third-place tie."

"Oh… I see." Kaida moved off the bed, sitting in the chair the nurse had offered. Recovery Girl pulled the sheets off the mattress and pillow, bundling up the linens in her arms. Kaida looked at Todoroki's sleeping face, her lips pressed together tightly as she sat stiffly in the chair. His chest rose and fell slowly, most of his left sleeve still tattered and burned away, while his right arm was slung across his chest in the cast. His eyes were gently closed, lids flickering every now and then, half-veiled by the tousled locks of his bangs. She reached over to brush them aside, but halted, pulling her arm back hastily. _What am I doing?_

"Your uniform is hanging up over there, if you want to head to the curtained area to change." On her way out with the linens, Recovery Girl nodded towards the curtain-rod, where Kaida's neatly-pressed blazer, shirt and skirt swayed on a coat hanger. Kaida nodded silently and did as Recovery Girl bid, pulling the curtain over the corner of the room. She unzipped the roughed-up jacket of her PE uniform, peeling it off her sore shoulders. As the red, white, and blue clothes slumped to the ground, she stepped into the green skirt, stumbling slightly against the wall as she lost her balance. One hand gripping her tie tightly, half-heartedly fumbling to get it on, she pressed her forehead against the wall, the chaos of her emotions disquieting her greatly. She almost felt tears pricking behind her eyes, but buried her face in her hands, quickly tucking in her shirt and throwing the blazer over her shoulders. She walked back over to her chair and sighed shakily, looking over at Todoroki once more.

The boy was still sleeping peacefully. Leaning her head against the wall, Kaida gave in to her exhaustion, and her own consciousness slipped away.

* * *

 **AN: I'M A SINNER I KNOW, ITS A 3-PARTER.**


	7. VII: Showcase (Pt 3)

**—Midoriya—**

 **"READY? STA—"**

 ** _BOOM!_**

The ground shook, and the end of Present Mic's words were drowned out by a deafening explosion. Izuku whipped his hand up in a panic, the strength behind his enhanced swing generating enough wind power to protect him from the incoming attack. Squinting his eyes against the clearing smoke, he saw Katsuki flying towards him, blasting his way through the air.

Kacchan likes to start with a left hook. Izuku ducked under the first swing. He grabbed his opponent's arm as he whiffed over Izuku's head, and pulled Katsuki over his shoulder into a throw.

 **"Amazing reflexes! We're barely seconds in and it's an EXPLOSIVE performance from both boys!"**

Katsuki spat as his back hit the concrete, stunned for a moment. Izuku lifted his fists and shifted into an angled square stance, keeping his weight on his toes. He awaited his opponent's next move, but received a scathing glare from Katsuki. "The fuck are you waiting for?"

"Wh—?" before Izuku could complete his incredulous reply, Katsuki was flipping back onto his feet, the ground below him erupting as he shot upwards and brought a blazing kick into Izuku's side. Izuku went flying, his head spinning wildly as he scrambled to put his feet back on the ground. Skidding to a halt as he found his footing, he looked up as his opponent approached, dangerously slowly. "It's... not honorable to attack an opponent while they're down," he coughed.

"Excuse me, what?" Katsuki roared. Izuku narrowly parried a flurry of blows, the explosions singeing the sleeves of his uniform. "You're fucking kidding me right now, Deku," Katsuki growled. He interrupted his punches with a knee to Izuku's abdomen, catching him off-guard. A roundhouse kick sent Izuku tumbling to the ground, winded. "There's no room for stupid sentiments like that in this ring, you hear me?"

As he heard Katsuki approaching, Izuku laid still where he'd fallen, half catching his breath, and half utilizing the opportunity to let Katsuki get close again. Waiting until the last possible minute, Izuku pushed himself up with his hands, doing a spinning kick in a full arc above him. Katsuki narrowly raised his arms in time to shield his head, letting out a growl of pain as his forearm caught the brunt of the blow. Izuku wobbled as he completed his kick and landed back on his feet again, the sudden rush of blood to his head pounding in his ears.

He's right; it's not a manner of honor. A hero wouldn't leave a job unfinished, when the battle isn't won yet…!

They locked again in close combat, the spacing between them dangerously close. Izuku felt the searing sting of Katsuki's explosions as they trailed his blows, while Katsuki was wary of the growing aura around Izuku's limbs, as his Quirk ramped up with each movement. Red light sparked up Izuku's frame, from the tips of his toes to his head, and Katsuki leapt back just in time to avoid the empowered uppercut.

"SMASH!"

The concrete at their feet was torn up, spiraling into the air in a whirlwind of rubble in the wake of Izuku's fist. One For All coursed through his veins, lighting a fire that no adrenaline rush could match.

"Hell yeah," Katsuki grinned, almost maniacally, as he halted his retreat and shot forwards for another pass. "More like it, ya damn nerd."

* * *

 **—Todoroki—**

"Thanks," he said, wincing as the nurse helped his arm through the sleeve of his uniform. It ached with a dull pain in his shoulder, accompanied by a slight wave of nausea.

"Mhm." Recovery Girl dumped Shoto's ruined PE shirt into a trashcan, along with the cold compress and the cast. He watched the burnt tatters of the blue sleeves disappear from view. "Take it easy for the rest of the day. Maybe head home; the finals and after-ceremony might be a bit too much excitement."

"Yeah." Shoto slipped into his shoes and adjusted his tie. He glanced at over at Kaida. He had noticed her by his bedside as soon as he'd woken up, but was surprised to see her still unconscious. "Is she alright?" He asked the Recovery Girl.

"Quite," the nurse smiled. "She stuck around for you. If you're leaving, you ought to wake her up."

 _Stuck around for me?_

"Don't be shy, now," Recovery Girl winked, giving him a flick on the knee with her cane. "After your fiery performance out there, you can handle a girl, no?"

"'Handle'?" he echoed, and looked at the nurse in alarm. She laughed at his awkwardness.

"I'm going to get lunch. You'd both better be gone by the time I get back, okay?" She shuffled out of the room, waving her hand behind her.

Shoto turned back to Kaida, and stooped down beside the chair. Her head was dipping slightly to the side, and her hair fell over one eye. She looked smaller than usual, with one arm folded across her chest, her face retaining a notable degree of tension even as she dozed. Shoto thought he could see a trace of tears clinging to her lashes from behind her closed eyes, and frowned to himself. He reached out and touched her shoulder gently.

"Kaida…?"

She woke slowly at first, then as she looked up, her eyes flew open when she saw him bent in front of her. She grabbed his hand on her shoulder. "You're alright?"

"Up and about," he replied, wincing at the strength of her grip. "Ow."

"Sorry," she exhaled heavily, her hand slipping down to her side. "I'm sorry. I was just… so worried."'

"Kaida," he squeezed her shoulder. "I'm alright."

She looked away, still distressed. "I wasn't careful." With her blue eyes downcast and filled with doubt, it was hard to believe that they'd belonged to the dragon he'd dueled in the arena.

"I would've been insulted if you held anything back," he replied. "And Recovery Girl told me that they declared our match a draw anyways. Are you going to head home?"

She glanced at the clock. "Yeah. I can probably call my driver… what about you?"

"I'm headed out too. I need to get my things from the lockers."

"Yeah, me too," she mumbled. He'd never seen her so disquieted, and he frowned.

"Let's go, then." He offered her a hand, standing up. She gave it a conflicted glance, then flinched away and stood on her own, stepping past him. "Hey. Wait…"

He followed after her, catching up down the hall and keeping pace. "…Are you alright?" She gave him no response, her lips pressed together tightly and her brows drawn together as she continued to avoid eye contact.

She took a sharp turn at the end of the hall, down into the rows of lockers. Shoto stepped in front of her, catching the wrist that went to turn the dial and retrieve her belongings. "Kaida…? Why the silence?"

"No, I'm not alright. I've been shortsighted and pretentious," she said suddenly, snatching her hand away.

Shoto stood his ground, keeping his cool in spite of his surprise at her outburst. "How do you mean? Y—"

"I had no right to push my ideals on you." She interrupted, finally staring up at him. The fire in her eyes was lit again with emotion, a mixture of fear and anger and frustration. "I thought myself in a place to give you advice on your situation with your father and your family and your Quirk, but here I am just flaunting Elysium's power — what, to prove my point? I could have killed you out there." Her words spilled out all at once, her usual calm decorum nowhere to be found.

The last thing Shoto remembered before he'd been knocked out in the arena was the blinding light and the dragon's roar. It was nothing like the last time he'd fought Kaida, in the training session with Gran Torino, and also not like the fearsome, primal dragon he'd experienced at USJ. The power that she had demonstrated in their tournament match was a testament for him; it was her reflection of his own liberation and freedom, the fire that burned with pride and light that could only come from a conviction as strong as hers.

"I'm more than fine, Kaida," he replied, taking the time to parse through his thoughts. "I'm not afraid of you; if I were, I'd have the wherewithal to not step into that ring. I trust you."

"You should be afraid. Why do you trust me?" She asked bluntly, her anger flaring with her aura. "Just because I'm the heiress to the divine dragon? I ask you to not call me by 'Tamashini' because I want to be more than that name. I came here to be at UA, to study like any other person my age, to take part in the sports festival, in an attempt to live my life, not the life that my mother had set out for her or the one that all my ancestors marched. I talk about forging your own path and seizing the world you want to live in and I'm kidding myself," she scoffed. "I'm not ready for this. I'm not my mother. I'm not the goddess she was." Kaida was on the verge of tears.

"So that's what this is about," he murmured. Once more, he replayed the last moments of their match, the flare that exploded out from her dragon and swept the arena. He'd seen a similar super move before…

* * *

The television cast its flickering light across the Todoroki household's living room. Shoto sat on the edge of the couch, wide-eyed as he watched the glowing dragon spread her wings, alit with otherworldly refulgence, and the brilliance that exploded out from her all at once. The newscaster gasped in delight.

"Elysium dispatches all the villains at once? What an incredible ultimate ability! Akira Tamashini, the beacon of light, the Symbol of Peace's right-hand woman...!"

* * *

Shoto's gaze softened. "Kaida... I used my flames in that arena for the first time today because it was the only way that I could stand on that stage with you. I seized my Quirk when it mattered most because of you and what you've taught me. I don't see you as a shadow of the previous bearer of Elysium. You've shown me time and time again that it's your power."

Kaida turned away, flicking angrily at her eyes with her fingertips. "Forget I said anything. I—"

"No." Shoto grabbed her sleeve, pulling her back in front of him a bit more roughly than he'd anticipated. "Please hear me out. Let me say this much. I trust you because you're you. Because you're Kaida, the Kaida I met here and got to know, not anyone else – to me, you're just Kaida, before you're anyone's heir or daughter. And because you gave me something worthwhile to chase after."

"Todoroki," she tried to pull away, gritting her teeth. "I don't belong on this pedestal that you're placing me on."

"There's no pedestal. You're right here." Shoto kept his grip, and pulled her insistently closer, as if closing the physical distance between them could help him deliver his words. She stumbled and tipped forwards, and she felt so incredibly fragile as he caught her in his arms. "You're right here," he repeated again, "and that's all the better."

"W...what?" Kaida's eyes were wide and uncertain, but she stopped trying to pull away. She looked up, and he offered her a rare, gentle smile.

"It's okay to be afraid of who you might be because of your power. I was afraid, too. But I'm not alone anymore… you showed me that I don't have to be. And you don't have to fly up to rise to any ideals – your own or anyone else's. You're..." His stomach flipped over in an unexpected bout of nervousness, and he brushed the hair out of her face, keeping his hand steady. "You're within reach. Perhaps it's selfish of me to make that statement, but..." He was caught up in his own response to her precipitous outpouring of emotions, and he had no other reaction other than to keep holding her close – the girl who had freed him from the confines of his own doubt and his troubled mind, and the girl who had so much fear and doubt of her own.

Kaida fell still, save for the slight tremble in her shoulders. She let a few tears slip free. "Todoroki—" she paused, swallowing. "...Shoto." She buried her face in his shoulder, partially stifling the sound of his name. Tentatively, he rested his cheek on the top of hers, feeling the softness of her hair.

"I didn't think you were the emotional type," he said.

"Speak for yourself," she muttered, her voice muffled. "...I didn't think you could be so warm. Figuratively, I mean. Ignore the unintentional pun on your Quirk."

"Well… I'm conditioned to not be emotional, for everyone except my mother."

"This is your 'not emotional?'" Kaida let out a little laugh, and turned her face up towards him, her nose grazing his jaw as she did so. "Needs work." His heart skipped a beat. Her motion didn't seem explicitly deliberate, but they were closer than they'd ever been. If he'd tilted his head downwards, they would practically—

"You wanted me to not look at you as if you're something far away, so I thought you wouldn't complain about closeness," he mumbled, awkwardly starting to move away and letting his arms slip loose from around her. In response, she latched on to the lapel of his blazer, and pressed her face into his chest again.

"No, wait… I'm not complaining."

The surge of feelings in Shoto's heart was almost frightening, but at the same time, her reciprocation of his closeness brought him a sense of dizzying warmth and happiness. "I'd hope that you would complain if I were out of line."

"Would it make you feel better if I promised to complain, then?" Kaida crinkled her nose, and the intimate tone of the moment passed back into their familiar banter. He sighed, letting her slip past him and retrieve her things from her locker.

Relieved that Kaida seemed somewhat back to her normal self, given her return to her characteristic jabs, Shoto leaned against the lockers beside her. Had it really only been a little over a month since they had begun their time at UA? Since he first met her? It felt like his life had changed in the magnitude that one would expect over the course of a much longer period; like the world before him was filled with color he never knew to look for before. If all it took was someone like her, why couldn't I have met that someone sooner? He looked for the words to express his thoughts, coming up with, "I don't know how I've never met anyone like you before." But she was worth waiting for… even if I didn't know I was waiting.

"You'd meet more people if you went out more often," she quipped. "...Not that I'm much better on that front, though."

"Well, we could both aspire to make a change, then." He watched as she slipped into her jacket and shouldered her bag.

"Hm?" She typed out a text, presumably to her driver, and pocketed her phone.

"To go out more often."

Kaida blinked, and then laughed. "...Are asking me out?"

 _...am I?_ Shoto blinked back, a bit baffled at the turn in the conversation. He found himself acutely nervous. "I think so…?" He tried to keep his usual cool tone, but his statement tapered off questioningly.

"I 'think' I'd like that," Kaida teased, but she ducked her head in an uncharacteristic display of shyness. She cleared her throat. "...But I hope you don't make a habit of choosing girls who have their lives as upside-down as I do. Given your familial circumstances I'd think you go for someone with more stability."

Shoto cracked a half-smile. "You're implying I have a habit of this? That I've ever opened myself up to someone other than my mother or sister?"

She seemed taken aback by his forward and open answer. "I… that's — I'm flattered to be worthy of your trust," she said awkwardly, looking for her typical eloquence and falling short.

"You're the one who let me sit with you in the lunchroom on day one," he started walking out of the building, and she followed by his side. "And you even came back, after the one day with Midoriya and his friends."

"Well, of course I did. I had to get back to my retreat for studying and silence."

He glanced sideways at her. "Well, that much, I know I'm good for."

At the curbside, he waited with her until her driver arrived. Just as she stepped down to get into the backseat, he called after her,

"Take care of yourself when you get home. And I'll see you later this weekend, then."

Kaida smiled a small, shy smile. "This is so far from how I thought this day would end… but yes. It'll be a date, I suppose." She turned red, realising what she'd said, and hurriedly piled into the car and shut the door behind her.

As the car drove off, Shoto shook his head, the fuzzy warmth in his heart keeping a stubborn smile on his face no matter how hard he tried to remain stoic. With a contented sigh, he turned and started to make his own way home.

* * *

 **—Midoriya—**

Izuku leapt up to meet his opponent in the air. With his Quirk adding reckless strength to his legs, he jumped higher than he'd expected, and found himself above Katsuki. An explosive punch threw him off of his trajectory, and he flung his arm behind him in a panic, creating another blast of air pressure. The momentum slung him forwards, bringing him back into melee range. They traded a flurry of punches and kicks, but while Katsuki managed to maintain his altitude, Izuku was dropping rapidly. Right before he hit the ground, he launched another spinning kick, catching Katsuki in the side and flinging him away as Izuku rolled onto the ground and found his footing.

Learning his lesson from before, Izuku followed up immediately, dashing forwards with incredible speed. Katsuki flipped himself over, slamming one palm into the stage. The ground erupted, a crater blown into the concrete as debris shot through the air. Izuku lifted his arms across his face, skidding to a halt, but he felt shards of rock slicing into the side of his face as the explosion scorched his arms. Wincing in pain, he clenched his jaw.

"More explosions! More EXCITEMENT! The hero course boys don't waver in their fast-paced combat — will they ever tire?"

Under Mic's deafening commentary, Izuku thought he heard something else. The faint whisper of voices tickled the periphery of his hearing, but when he looked around wildly, there was no one else on the stage except for him and Katsuki. What the heck?

As the smoke and dust cleared, Izuku soon realised that Katsuki was no longer in the same place. A shift in the temperature above drew Izuku's attention, and he looked up to see Katsuki plummeting back down towards the stage, having launched himself far into the air.

"HOWITZER..."

Recognizing the beginning of Katsuki's super move, Izuku searched for the culmination of all his strength, hoping he could land a counter-strike to at least protect him from the brunt of the blast. As he felt the aura snap into place within him, he suddenly froze. The distorted voices grew louder, too intermingled to make out any of their words.

Then arena disappeared, and he saw a series of figures standing before him in the newfound darkness. The vision caught Izuku off-guard. What's happening? He tried to turn his head, or move a muscle, but found himself frozen in place, trapped somewhere in his mind in a place disjointed from the time and space of the UA arena.

One man distinctly stood at the front of the group, his distinctive, imposing silhouette easily recognisable as he stared at Izuku with piercing blue eyes. No way… All Might? Father? Izuku tried to call out, but no sound left his mouth. He suddenly became aware of the heat descending upon him, from the fight he'd been in the middle of, but suddenly couldn't bring himself to swing in retaliation, even as he regained control of his body.

When he looked up, he couldn't see his Kacchan above him, but an unknown entity shrouded in darkness, radiating malice and chaos.

 _"Izuku. Izuku. Izuku. Izuku. Izuku. Izuku."_

The voices were suddenly all calling his name. Izuku didn't know who to address. The figures in his vision were so demanding, their beckoning so insistent, that even the strange enemy descending upon him seemed less relevant. What is this? Is this what my father saw and felt right before he died? This captured moment of paralyzing fear… but surely he kept his strength up, unto the very end —

But if that's true, why wasn't it enough?

The darkness of his vision and the shadowed figures disappeared, dying out in the wake of the eminent inferno, demanding Izuku's consciousness back into the present.

"IMPACT!"

•••

•••

•••

* * *

"N-No; it can't be…!" The woman's green hair wavered around her shoulders as her small frame trembled, silhouetted against the light of the television. "There must be some mistake," she mumbled, fiddling with her cell phone. "Toshi… Toshi, PLEASE pick up, PLEASE!"

"Mom? What's wrong?"

* * *

•

•

•

Izuku bolted upright, nearly giving himself whiplash in the process. He rubbed his eyes, trying to brush away the distressful memory of his mother on the night she'd received the news. That vision… and now that memory. Why, though? He pressed his fingers to his temples and looked around.

Unsurprisingly, he found himself in Recovery Girl's office. The door was slightly ajar. Izuku was well-bandaged and packed with cooling pads; any burns or bruises were no more than slight tingles on his skin, even though he was sure that he'd taken the full brunt of Katsuki's super-move.

A quiet squeaking noise came from the hall, slowly growing louder and closer. There was a dull thud as the door was pushed the rest of the way open with the end of a cane, before Recovery Girl appeared, pulling a wheelchair before her as she backed into her office. "Ah, young Midoriya! Good thing you're awake. I was going to just tie you to this chair and cart you off either way... hehe." She cleared her throat. "Pile in, dear, if you would."

Izuku gave her an uncertain look. "To... to where?"

"Back to the stadium, of course! Mic and Midnight are already furious with me for letting our third place tie go home before the awards ceremony; they won't have Bakugo up there on his own."

Oh. Full awareness of his recent surroundings suddenly came back to him, and Izuku remembered the festival. He realised the repercussions of what happened after he froze up in the arena. What will Kacchan be thinking...? And my mom? How am I supposed to succeed All Might and live up to his legacy like this if I'm being haunted by — whatever it was?

"Anytime now, Midoriya," Recovery Girl patted the wheelchair, drawing his attention. Sliding off of the gurney and planting one foot in front of the other, he sank into the seat obediently. The nurse pushed him out of the room with surprising ease, even as Izuku wobbled in the rickety wheelchair, feeling the bump of the door's threshold ring through his head. He sat in silence, listening to the squeaking wheels as they went down the hallways and through several more doorways. The outdoors light grew near as they approached the tunnel to the stadium.

"Ready?" Recovery Girl leaned over to check on him.

"As much as I'll ever be, I guess."

"Attaboy," the nurse patted Izuku's curly hair. "Chin up, now."

As they made their appearance into the arena, Izuku set his eyes on the podium where Katsuki was standing, arms crossed and glaring straight ahead. The din of the crowd seemed far away. As Izuku rolled up, Katsuki narrowed his eyes.

Midnight, who was standing beside the podium, offered Izuku a hand. He took it, standing up with as much pride as he could muster, and clambered up to stand in the second-place spot. Midnight winked and gave him a thumbs-up.

Cementoss built a short flight of stairs, and Principal Nezu hopped up from the side of the stage, his ever-present smile beaming as he presented the medals. The silver circle felt burdensome around Izuku's neck.

Midnight plucked the microphone off of its stand, cupping one hand around it. "And here we have our finalists!" The crowd cheered louder. "Let's hear a few words from our champion — Katsuki Bakugo!" She offered him the mic. "Impromptu victory speech... go!"

Katsuki looked disdainfully at the microphone, as if it were some sort of dead animal. He hmph'ed and snatched it. Casting Izuku a sidelong glare, he sighed heavily into the mic.

"So in case some people have missed it, we live in a pretty fucked world." He stared up at the stands unflinchingly. "There ain't room for weakness or incompetence, especially for heroes. The world NEEDS heroes — so all you other students, you better HAUL ASS and get on my level, if you want to be any sort of useful to society. Damn losers." He dropped the mic in Midnight's general direction. She caught it deftly, but scowled at the boy in shock.

"Language, young man," Cementoss tutted disapprovingly.

"Tch." Katsuki hopped off the podium, not so much as giving Izuku another look or word. He exited the arena, leaving the crowd, and Izuku, in disconcerted silence.

* * *

 _No room for weakness and incompetence._ A few hours into the afternoon, Izuku lay glumly on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. His phone buzzed for the tenth time, and he dismissed the messages without looking, for the tenth time. He rolled onto his side, his eyes travelling along the shelves and walls of merchandise and paraphernalia honoring the Symbol of Peace. Honoring his father. He buried his face in his red-and-blue pillow.

He heard footsteps coming up from the hall outside his room and sighed. "Mom, I told you, I've had enough tea for the day—"

The door burst open, and Katsuki stomped in with his characteristic drama.

"...Hi, Kacchan."

"Don't 'Kacchan' me," Katsuki barked. "Answer ya damn texts! I have homework to do and you have me sitting around wondering if you're dead in a ditch! Why'd you up and ghost like that after the festival?"

Izuku looked up at him with a sallow expression, then flopped onto his stomach. "I didn't think you'd want to see me. You were in a bad mood at the awards ceremony…"

Katsuki crossed his arms. "You've got some explaining to do, that's for sure. What the hell were you doing? You step up your game for a hot sec and then just fuckin' SAT there like a duck?"

"Yeah, I know." Izuku looked away.

Katsuki growled. "It's not like you."

"Yeah. I know."

"So TELL ME what's going on," Katsuki tried, and failed, to lower his voice.

"No."

"...No?" Glancing up, Izuku saw Katsuki cocking an eyebrow, not so much angry as just bewildered. "The hell?"

"No," he repeated, "because I don't really know. I had… some kind of vision. Maybe a hallucination, I don't know. And you're right… and I don't want to argue about it."

"Right about wh—" the boy stopped, and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Oh, the victory speech shit. Yeah, I was pushin' your buttons on purpose. You should know by now that I'm harsh because I know you can take it."

Izuku buried his face in his pillow. "What if I can't, all of a sudden?" He said, muffled. "What if I'm not strong enough for all of this? I've got the most powerful Quirk in existence and it kinda feels like it's being wasted on me."

Katsuki fell silent. He sighed heavily, then Izuku felt himself being pulled upright. "Listen, Deku. Don't say shit like that. If you were a waste of space there wouldn't be so many people burning oxygen to root for you and support your ass. Especially me — the fact that I'm still around should speak wonders," he huffed.

"I've got my ideals in all the wrong places," Izuku bowed his head. "I'm too soft for One for All. And… I think I'm being haunted by my dad."

"Eh?"

"I… I saw him, and I felt him and all the other bearers and I just — I… It was like using my Quirk too much triggered some kind of repressed memories. But they weren't my memories. Kaida said that she saw her mother die, and it comes back in dreams sometimes, maybe it's like that."

Katsuki was quiet for a moment, then he sighed heavily and tipped Izuku's chin up. "Fine. Look at me." Izuku dragged his eyes up to the familiar pair of red eyes before him. "...That's fine."

"What's fine? There's nothing fine about—"

"It's fine to be behind the others. Y'aint dragon chick or IcyHot and that's because you're you. Bein' scared, wanting to fight honorably, or being caught up in what's going on in your head; that stuff is what makes you you. And I'm pretty damn confident that you'll still catch up to the head of the pack, by refining the things that are so irrepressibly Deku." Katsuki cracked a grin. "Throwin' yourself away isn't your kinda way forwards. You work hard and you've always made every achievement you set out to do, sooner or later."

"Do you really think I can do it, though?" Izuku's voice was strained. "I don't know what it is I have to overcome… maybe I'm not trying hard enough? I just don't know." And that's scary, because I've always been able to figure out the answers.

"Quit sayin' 'I don't know!' I know you'll do it, cuz you have to." Katsuki ruffled Izuku's hair, then leaned in and hugged him tightly. "...and til you figure your shit out, I'll be the hero."

 _Until I figure it out…_ Izuku shut his eyes, burying his face in Katsuki's shoulder. Y _eah. Yeah, I will — I have to, so I will. Just because I haven't yet doesn't mean that I can't._

"Okay," He sniffled, steadying his tone. "...Thanks, Kacchan."

"Don't mention it," Katsuki slapped Izuku's shoulder as he broke the hug. "Man, you're making me too damn soft," he grumbled.

Izuku smiled. "You're not soft. You're kind of an asshole, sometimes."

"ALL the time, to everyone else."

"That's what makes you you."

* * *

 **—Shigaraki—**

"Ugh." He clicked the power button on the remote, and the TV's sports festival broadcast faded out of view. He scratched at his neck. "These pathetic children are nothing compared to their parents. Tamashini's a show-off but a joke. Midoriya—"

"Don't underestimate them."

Tomura looked over his shoulder at the figure behind him, cloaked in darkness. "…Master?"

"They won't stay children forever. And with the foundations they are laying, and those who support them… they will be a force to be reckoned with."

"So what do you want us to do?"

The figure was silent for a moment.

"We'll accelerate our plans. We've sown the seeds of fear... Erebus rises; the time to act will soon be upon us."

* * *

 _ **Next chapter: Mortality**_


	8. VIII: Mortality

**—Midoriya—**

"Hey… hey, Midoriya…!"

Izuku felt a pull as the back of his blazer was tugged on while he was rising from his seat. The end-of-day bell had already rung, and Class 1-A was steadily filtering out of the classroom as Aizawa slowly melted out of sight behind his desk and back into his yellow sleeping bag. Izuku looked over his shoulder.

"Eh?"

Mineta was leaning across his desk, practically standing on top of it to grab Izuku. The short boy beckoned for Izuku to come closer. Cautiously, Izuku leaned over.

"You're friends with Tamashini, right?" Mineta whispered, loudly.

"Eh… yeah?" Izuku lifted an eyebrow. Two seats over, Todoroki stood up and pushed in his seat, and Mineta froze up, waiting for the other boy to exit down the aisle before yanking Izuku closer. A yellow-haired boy, one of Mineta's best friends, slid over to Mineta's side. "W-what's going on?" Izuku asked.

* * *

 **Denki Kaminari**

 **Quirk: Electrification** **  
****He can cover his body in electricity and also emit energy, but has little control over it. Exceeding his wattage limit causes his brain to short-circuit, rendering him imbecilic for a period of time.**

* * *

"Ok, so Kaminari told me that—"

Kaminari shoved Mineta out of the way and interrupted, "—That I was out in the city the other day like around Shinjuku, cuz you know, there are good restaurants and street festival food and stuff and I was with Jiro and some other people _and we saw Todoroki and Tamashini_ and they were like, _together?_ " His run-on sentence seemed to end as a query.

"Is that a question or a statement?" Izuku was confused.

"You said you're friends with Tamashini, right?" Mineta slapped his hands on the desk. "So affirm the suspicion! Are she and Todoroki an _item_?"

"Just because you saw them at the street fair together doesn't mean that," Izuku scratched his head. "I saw her at the shopping center with Hagane just last week."

"Yeah but everyone knows they're childhood friends or whatever," Kaminari waved his hand dismissively. "She and Todoroki are always eating lunch together and stuff, and it's a totally different vibe."

"I really don't know anything about that," Izuku tried to step past the pair and make an exit. _Please don't get me caught up in relationship gossip…_ Mineta slapped his hands to his temples.

"Useless!" He grumbled. "But if they _are_ — argh! It's not fair! Todoroki has _everything_ going for him, and now he's even landed a girl like Tamashini? UGH!"

"Todoroki didn't get to where he is by whining about it, that much I know," Izuku frowned, pausing. "And at any rate… if I do know something about Kaida, it's that she always knows what she's getting herself into. I doubt she spends time with him just because of his accomplishments; she isn't that kind of person."

He made his way out of the classroom and down the hall, shuffling into the crowd by the lockers and weaving his way out of the building. Outside, he caught sight of Katsuki standing by the curb. The other boy looked up, made eye contact, and waggled his cell phone. Izuku's phone buzzed almost immediately after. He checked the text:

 _"Catch ya at your house, hurry ya ass up."_

Izuku replied with an ok-hand emoji, and adjusted his blazer and backpack before starting off purposefully.

"MIDORIYA." Iida suddenly appeared in front of Izuku, piloting Uraraka by the shoulders like a shopping cart. "Uraraka-chan wishes to extend an invitation—"

"—to a lunch before everyone leaves on Sunday!" Uraraka finished cheerily. "Since we'll all be headed to the train station, I thought it would be nice to get together one last time before we're off to internships for the week. Oh, oh! You should invite Tamashini-chan and Todoroki and her friend from Class B too; Hagane is coming to intern with the same hero as me!"

"Who did you decide on again?" Izuku tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Oh, right: Gunhead!" He went slightly starry-eyed as he imagined the manly pro hero.

* * *

 **Battle Hero: Gunhead**

 **Quirk: Gatling** **  
****His arms have gun-like attachments that can shoot—**

* * *

Izuku stopped in his thoughts. "Wait… you picked _Gunhead,_ Uraraka?!"

"Mhm!" Uraraka punched the air for effect. "After the sports festival, I decided I wanted to get better with my combat skills! And I was lucky enough to get an offer from him."

"OH!" Iida suddenly exclaimed, pointing vigorously towards the road. "Tamashini and Hagane, ahead! Come!" He clapped a hand onto Uraraka and Izuku's shoulders respectively, and piloted them towards the curb.

Kaida turned at the sudden movement behind her, blinking warily. "Midoriya, Uraraka, Iida; what brings you in such a hurry?"

Izuku relayed Uraraka's invitation to the two, while Uraraka and Iida hovered close behind him.

"Lunch, huh?" Hagane clicked his jaw, pondering with the hint of a frown.

Kaida elbowed him. "We'd love to come, thanks for offering," she said with a smile. "Oh, but I don't think Shoto will be able to make it — he sees his mother on Sunday mornings."

Hagane raised a bushy eyebrow. "...'Shoto?'"

Kaida tipped her head. "Todoroki."

Her friend frowned. "Yeah, I know who you were talking about. Since when are you on a first-name basis?"

Kaida tapped her chin. "A… week or two ago, I suppose? Why do you ask?"

Izuku stifled a grin at her innocent questioning. _Coming from a girl as down-to-earth as Kaida…_ he suddenly thought back to being approached by Kaminari and Mineta just a few minutes ago. _Ah… maybe there_ is _something there…?_

Hagane huffed. "Forget it, nevermind," he muttered. A black car pulled up. "Driver's here, let's go."

Kaida turned back to Izuku and the other two, offering them a nod. "We'll see you day after tomorrow, then. Take care," she waved once, and stepped into her car, her long hair trailing behind her.

"Alright, it's settled!" Uraraka clapped her hands together and grinned widely. "There's a great burger place close to the station… let's plan on meeting there, ok?"

"Burgers?" Iida frowned. "Is it so wise to start a week of physical conditioning with such an unhealthy meal?"

"Don't be such a mother hen," Uraraka pouted. "Killjoy…"

Izuku laughed. "Oh, she'll be able to work it off… and it's not like Uraraka needs to worry about her weight, anyway." Uraraka put her hands on her hips challengingly.

Iida pushed up his glasses. "Ah, I suppose it is rude of me to have implied negatively about your physique." He bowed his head. "I am very sorry!"

Uraraka giggled, unable to retain her false pout. "You're so silly, Iida." She patted the top of the blue-haired boy's head. "Oh! There's the bus. I gotta catch it — see you guys on Sunday, byeee~!"

* * *

 **—Tamashini—**

Kaida lay on her stomach, propped up on her elbows. She fiddled with the small square of paper that she'd neatly ripped out of her notebook, meticulously tucking in the corners. A lock of her hair fell over her face, and she blew it aside idly, disturbing the small pile of finished origami lotuses at her elbow.

"...10? I came up with 10. That seems too clean to be right," Shoto muttered, scowling at the lines of his written-out work. Kaida pulled her notebook closer into view, flipping the half-ripped-up page over and peering at her own answers.

"Yeah, for the last one, 10." She scooted over to the table and leaned across, turning Shoto's notebook around to compare. "We did the same steps, so either we're both on the same, incorrect wavelength or... that's just the right answer."

"I'll trust it," Shoto sighed. "I'm still a bit annoyed that Ectoplasm assigned homework due on the eve of internships week."

"But it's done now," Kaida flipped his notebook shut decisively. "So we can go about the week without worrying about it."

"...I'll admit, having someone to study with is nice; I'd forgotten. It makes things more pleasant, that's for sure."

"You don't like studying otherwise?" She looked surprised.

"Just because I'm a good student doesn't mean I enjoy doing homework…" Shoto shuffled his papers together, and pushed them to the side of the table. "...at any rate, are you staying for dinner? Fuyumi is making croquettes."

Kaida hummed. "As much as I'd love to, I should spend tonight with my father — since it's our last night home for the week. I leave for Kyoto fairly early tomorrow morning."

"Ah, that's right," Shoto nodded, remembering. "Well, my father says that we might travel to Hosu at some point during the week to help out with the recent investigations on the series of murders there. Other than that, I assume I'll just be here."

She looked down at the tatami mats, a knot of worry in her stomach. "Be careful out there. And here, too. I know I said that you ought to stand your ground against Enji in the hopes that you two might reach some sort of respectful reconciliation… yet I'm also worried that he would not hesitate to hurt you."

"He wouldn't hesitate," Shoto affirmed bluntly. She looked up, and saw him looking at her with a reassuring calm. "But I'll be alright. I can look after myself."

"Yeah," Kaida nodded. _He's always more self-confident after he's spent time with his mother,_ she noted. _It's a nice bearing for him._

"Shall I walk you out?" He offered.

She gathered her things together and slung her bag over her shoulder, offering him her arm. "You shall," she smiled.

* * *

The next morning, she and her father departed from their home shortly before daylight reached a full glow. Kaida sat with her small duffel of belongings across her lap, leaning her head against the window as traffic thinned out and the Tokyo skyline disappeared into the horizon to be replaced by rolling mountains and countryside. There was soon more greenery than hulks of human habitation, and she felt the shift in natural aura pleasurably.

 _"We are nearing the waypoint… do you sense it, child?"_

 _Yeah. And will you stop referring to me so condescendingly after this "phase" of my conditioning?_

 _"Ah,"_ she heard the echoing, rumbling laughter as Elysium's amusement palpably reached her. _"We shall see. You may not be a child in terms of age for much longer, but perhaps you will wish the days of youth to linger."_ Kaida rolled her eyes.

Kyoto's distinct architecture took over as the streets turned urban once more. They drove through the prefecture, to the green mountainside nestled against the city. Kaida's father parked his car in the busy parking lot at the foot of the mountain, where many tourists were bustling about around the street stalls.

Kaida lingered for a moment as her father turned off the engine. She looked up at the rooftops of the temple peeking out from the tree canopy far above them.

Kiyomizu-dera: an ancient temple, and sacred place. _"The site where your ancestor became the first warden of the divine dragon, and where the followers of Elysium still hold true to the old ways."_

"I remember climbing those steps with your mother so many times," Kaida's father sighed. "Breathtaking — both in the exhaustion and awed sense of the word."

"You don't have to come all the way up with me," Kaida unclipped her seat belt, tucking her hair under the collar of her jacket as she opened the car door.

"Of course I do! This is an important coming-of-age moment… and I wouldn't miss it for anything."

"I mean… they won't let you into the sanctuary, you know that, right?"

He smiled. "Seeing you pass through the gateway is enough for me, my dearest. Now come, let's go!"

Dressed in inconspicuous clothes and with her distinct hair out of sight, Kaida garnered little attention from the people milling up and down the stairs to the temple. She was surprised at how many of them were out and about this early in the day, but then reminded herself that most of them were foreigners, without locals' obligations. _I wonder what it's like to live across the sea,_ she mused, listening to the Chinese accents in passing conversations around them, with the occasional European English thrown in. _What is life like in a society with far fewer villains?_

 _"That is not for you to ponder, child. The reality of your life is that you were born_ here _— and whether in this world or the lands and nations far afield, your destiny does not change."_

Kaida stared down at the steps, steadily trodding along. _I know._

Close to the entrance to the temple, the path opened up into a courtyard. On one side, the wooden temple stairs took people right up to the old shrine itself, while around the courtyard, there were many fortune-stalls and racks of tied white paper, where people marked their wishes and prayers. Two hiking trails branched off on either side of the temple entrance.

"Want to stop here for a bit?" Kaida's father patted her shoulder. "We've been making good time."

"It's alright," she shook her head, and started off towards the path to the right. "In all honesty, I'd like to continue on as soon as possible to quell the nerves."

"Nerves?" He pulled on her arm, turning her to face him. She glanced away. "Hey, listen here, love — don't forget, before anything else, before all of this Divine Dragon mumbo-jumbo; you're my Kaida. My only daughter, and that's more important to me than anything else that you are. So remember that, and take a little comfort in the simple facts of life, okay?" He tipped her chin up, and she found herself smiling fondly.

"I can try to do that."

A kilometre down the trail, they were soon alone. At this time of day, the thickly wooded pathways were far less inviting than the warmth of the temple. Coming to a rocky wall protruding from the mountain's flank, they stopped. Without signal or prompting, a figure in white robes stepped out of the wall, seemingly materializing out of the crags. The lower half of their face was veiled, but they smiled with glowing grey eyes.

"Kaida," the voice was masculine, but soft. "We are most pleased to see you at last. The light of Elysium graces you."

She bowed deeply, in a rehearsed fashion. "I request entry to the sanctuary, that I may grow closer yet to the dragon's soul."

"And we welcome you." The acolyte bowed in return. He extended her a hand.

Kaida looked up at her father, and threw her arms around him, not unlike the way she would cling to him as a small child. He stroked the back of her head comfortingly. "They'll take good care of you. I love you, okay?"

"I love you too," Kaida murmured, trying to imprint her father's smile into her mind. "I'll do my best. For you, and for Mother, and for everyone else."

He held her at arm's length. "And for _you_ , too." Squeezing her shoulders once more, he turned her towards the wall. "You've got this."

"Yeah," she breathed deeply, the fresh mountain air tickling her lungs. She finally took the acolyte's extended hand. "I'm ready."

He smiled and pulled her gently forwards. A strange wind seemed to drift towards them, and as they took a step towards the wall, the temperature and atmosphere abruptly shifted. A small breath of wonder left Kaida's lips as she looked at the dark azure glow around them, refulgent along the walls of the massive cavern. She had seen this place before — but only in dreams. Looking over her shoulder, she could see the shimmering outline of the physical world behind them; her father stood where they'd left him, smiling forlornly before turning to make his way back down the mountain.

"This is where the first acolytes of Elysium discovered the spark of the divine dragon after the great battle between Chaos and Order. After sealing Erebus's essence, Elysium was reduced to little more than a filament of soul… but the great powers that the primordial dragons released during their duel have created many a lasting effect on our world," the man in white robes murmured. "Until such a time as the Divine Dragon is needed in its full glory once more, it rests in waiting – within the spirit of its blessed human vessel. Long ago, your great-great-great-grandfather first made the pact with Elysium, and today, you are here to carry on his tradition."

 _The first Tamashini._ Kaida has been told of the etymology of her family name — "pure of spirit."

 _The name and the "ideal soul"… A blessing, or a curse?_

 ** _"It is to be whatever you make it to be,"_** a familiar voice echoed across the chamber. Coiled on a stone tablet across the hall, the spectral figure of the divine dragon itself regarded Kaida with empty white eyes. **_"Welcome, my child."_** This was not the dragon she saw in the sanctuary of her mind, but a much less commanding figure, a shade of Elysium's imposing glory. _So it is true then, that Elysium is far lesser without a Tamashini to anchor it._

The acolyte bowed deeply to the dragon's spirit, but Kaida met its ghostly stare fearlessly. "Erebus rises again," she said. "Whatever it is I choose to be, _that_ is my duty to attend to."

Elysium tipped its head. **_"Indeed. You have learned much, and very quickly — a commendable effort for one who took on the divine mantle at such a young age. But now it is time to truly become one with your powers… Here, in this place between worlds, you shall learn to tap into your full potential, while keeping your inner balance."_**

"I am Athos." The acolyte turned to Kaida then, and bowed to her as well. "My brothers and sisters and I will guide you in your training."

The dragonfire danced in Kaida's eyes, and lit correspondingly in Elysium's. The blank sclera coalesced into saturated azure, and slitted black pupils sharpened into focus.

"Then let's begin."

* * *

 **—Todoroki—**

"We'll call it there for the day."

Enji rolled his neck and shoulders, cracking them loudly. "I'm proud of your resilience and stamina — you ought to be, too," he added gruffly.

Shoto wiped the sweat off of his forehead with the back of his right hand. "Yeah."

"Dinner will probably be ready soon," his father glanced at the clock on the training room's wall. "Get cleaned up." Without further exchange, the sliding doors closed behind him, and Endeavor's heavy footsteps diminished down the hall.

Exhausted from the hours of physical conditioning, Shoto trudged out to his own room, running a cool shower and finding a set of clean clothes. He glanced at the clock — a quarter past six. _Maybe Fuyumi would appreciate help setting the table._

Making his way to the dining room adjoined to the kitchen, he saw that Natsuo had already arrived, and was sloppily tossing pairs of chopsticks on each placemat. They clicked against the four glasses of water. Shoto winced, and followed his brother around the table, tidying as he went. Natsuo rolled his eyes, but grinned. "Come grab the salads too, while you're fixing the dinner table's Feng Shui," he teased.

In the kitchen, Fuyumi was doling out large ladel-fuls of soup into three bowls of soba. Noticing Shoto coming in, she nudged the sole square _zaru_ towards him. "This one's for you," she smiled, more warmly than Natsuo, but with the same dimple and crinkle by her eyes.

"Oh, thanks," Shoto put the salad bowls on a small tray, stacking the _zaru_ underneath it as well. The ice under the cold soba clinked merrily as he made his way back to the dinner table. Fuyumi was close behind, slightly alarmed at the heat of the soup sobas as she plopped them down for Natsuo, their father, and finally, herself. A bit of broth sloshed and dripped onto her placemat, and she hurriedly dabbed at it with her napkin.

The tatami door slid shut as Enji made his entrance. Shoto looked up in surprise, as he and his siblings had just sat down. "Thank you for the meal!" Natsuo clapped his hands together and took a loud slurp of his soup, oblivious to his father's arrival. Shoto kicked his brother under the table. "Eh? Oh, hey, Dad."

"Joining us for dinner tonight?" Fuyumi looked equally surprised, but happily so. Enji glanced at the setting before him.

"...you all always seem to anticipate me, whether I make my appearance or not. And it is proper for the man of the house to dine with his family once in a while," he said gruffly, before stirring the dressing into his salad. "Pass the scallions."

Shoto poured the dipping-sauce into the little bowl beside his _zaru_ , side-eyeing his father suspiciously. "You're… in an unnaturally good mood."

Endeavor's ever-present moustache twitched slightly, and he narrowed his eyes. "Are you disallowing me from indulging in pride that my son is making such progress in his training?"

Shoto blinked, and fiddled with another wad of wasabi. "I suppose not." He tipped his head towards his sister. " _Itadakimasu_." With a loud _slurp,_ he contented himself with his favorite meal.

* * *

 **—Midoriya—**

"WAH!"

Izuku was ripped from the quietude of sleep by a sudden icy-cold sensation on the middle of his face. Getting tangled in his sheets, he scrambled upright, pulling the offending object off as quickly as possible. It crinkled in his hand.

"Put it back on," Gran Torino said gruffly. "Unless you want that purple eye for the rest of your internship." The short old man plucked the ice pack out of Izuku's hand and plastered it back onto the boy's face. "No Recovery Girls or dragon girls or anything like that here, so take care of your own injuries, you hear?"

"Yes, sir," Izuku mumbled.

"I am going to the market," Gran Torino announced, making his way to the door. "Breakfast is on the table, and I expect you to be ready for training by the time I come back." Without waiting for further acknowledgment, he shuffled out of sight, and Izuku soon heard the front door open and close.

He sat back against the wall with a sigh, and caught sight of his reflection in the glass across from his cot. He frowned, and immediately regretted that — "Ow." His left eye and brow were an unsightly shade of blue and black, a souvenir from his third day of training. While sparring with Gran Torino, he had managed to let loose a punch strong enough to blow a hole in the wall, which he then got caned in the face for.

 _"Destruction of property?! Be less of a clumsy hooligan than your old man, for PETE'S SAKE!"_

Stretching carefully, Izuku hopped into his slippers, obediently carrying the ice pack with him to the bathroom as he got cleaned up for the morning. Plodding down to the kitchen with a towel draped over his shoulders, he dumped the melted remains of the ice pack into the sink and tossed the plastic bag in the recycling, before turning his attention to the breakfast laid out for him. A box of multi-grain cereal (with raisins) was sitting on the countertop, next to a folded-up piece of paper. The paper had a giant arrow pointing towards the cereal, and another pointing towards the fridge. Gran Torino's handwriting was scribbled across the makeshift sign:

 _DRINK YOUR MILK. Your bones need it._

Izuku smiled to himself. _The old man has odd ways of showing his affection,_ he thought. Setting himself up with a generous bowl of cereal with gracious acceptance of the raisins, which were usually not his favorite, he cleared himself a spot on the dining table to eat.

Another note caught his eye, set atop a thin book. Curiously, Izuku picked it up.

 _Dug this out of storage last night, and thought you might want to take a look through it. DON'T SPILL MILK ON IT._

The book itself has a rather nondescript hardback cover, a faded blue with a thin red stripe at the bottom. Izuku turned it over in his hands, and the pages ruffled open loosely. His eyes widened.

Plastered to the inside were a series of polaroid photos, taped haphazardly here and there. And scrawled between the photos, Gran Torino's handwriting documented a story through the captions — the story of Toshinori's training days. Most of the photos were surprisingly domestic: the top hero mopping the kitchen floor, dusting shelves, even washing an old car. Izuku ran a hand over the pictures. He had seen very little of his father outside of the buff, muscle-form that he'd known All Might by on television, and he felt a deep warmth in his chest.

As he continued to flip through the scrapbook, the polaroids were replaced with newspaper clippings, of All Might's greatest headlines and accomplishments. Gran Torino's notes were bullet-pointed lists, with thoughts such as _"scold him for his posture!"_ and _"did he really need to make that much of a mess?"_

Izuku heard the keys turning in the locks by the front door, and looked up as his mentor shuffled back in, a grocery bag in his free hand. He caught sight of Izuku, and his eyes traveled to the table, as he nodded approvingly. Tossing the groceries into the fridge, plastic bag and all, he zipped over to the table and up onto a chair, planting a hand atop Izuku's curly hair.

"I hoped you'd see what I saw in your father in those pages," he said. "You never got to know him as I did… as family." His expression turned serious. "That's why I'm hard on you, okay? I'm not apologizing for any of my tough love or anything like that, but you're the closest thing left to—"

"I know," Izuku smiled, blinking back tears. "...thank you," he said.

"DO NOT INTERRUPT ME WHEN I'M SPEAKING, YOUNG MAN!" Gran Torino barked suddenly. He grumbled and crossed his arms, hopping off the chair. "I wasn't nearly finished yet. Today, we're going to talk more about your Quirk – because I'm pretty darn sure no one's given you the full run-down yet." He fished the grocery bag out of the fridge, rummaged around, and flung a couple of _taiyaki_ into the microwave, stabbing at the buttons with his index finger aggressively.

"The full run-down?" Izuku's heart quickened. "All I know about One for All is pretty much what I saw on TV of All Might… and my mom said that my father never really told her too much about it. And I manifested it when I was about five, I think?" He scratched his head.

"You didn't manifest it." The microwave beeped and Gran Torino pulled his _taiyaki_ out, zipping back to the table to sit next to Izuku again. "One for All is not a hereditary Quirk. It is passed down _willingly_ from generation to generation… and you, like your father, were Quirkless until the spark was shared with you."

"Wait wait wait, hold up," Izuku slapped his hands onto the table, jiggling the spoon in his cereal bowl. "What? _Quirkless?_ "

"Quirkless as a rock," Gran Torino said with his mouth full. "You can think of One for All like the Elysium mantle — the dragon's spirit is passed down regardless of the Quirk that the previous Tamashini had."

"Is… is it also a gift from the primordial dragons, then?"

The query earned Izuku an unamused stare. "Not quite so fancy. But there is a story of checkered family history behind the origins of One for All." Gran Torino wiped a crumb off of his chin, clearing his throat before continuing. Izuku hadn't expected this sudden big reveal of information, and his mind was racing and spinning. His mentor chuckled. "I can see you fidgeting in your seat, boy, but you better not interrupt me this time."

Gran Torino began the story.

"As the Tamashini wardens and the acolytes are to Elysium, there also exists cults devoted to the chaos dragon. The most noteworthy of Erebus's followers is easily the individual known as All for One; yes, the very same villain that killed Akira Tamashini and your father." Izuku was using every ounce of his willpower to remain silent, but his shoulders shook slightly and he drove his nails into his palms. "As I'm sure you know, All for One possesses many, many Quirks — his ability to steal Quirks and use them all is the gift he was born with, but he uses it in the service of the agents of chaos. He has been alive for easily over a hundred years; not as long as the Tamashini line, but enough that he has built quite the legacy in Erebus's name… although the details on his activities over his lifetime are not all known to us.

"What we know of All for One and his allegiance to the chaos dragon comes from the original wielder of One for All: the brother of All for One himself. All for One stole an enhancer-type Quirk from someone and forced it onto his younger brother, in the hopes that by giving him strength, he would be of some use to the cause. But the younger brother, who was thought to be Quirkless, actually had a very specific ability — the power to pass on a Quirk from one person to another, by nurturing the power within a spiritual "core" that can be bestowed upon the next successor only by the will of the previous bearer. He fled from All for One, and used his power in secret to work against his brother's evildoings. When the time came, he found a worthy successor, and passed on the mantle to them before he died. To this day, no one knows his name, only the story of his legacy.

"This knowledge was passed on to me by a woman called Nana Shimura — the seventh holder of One for All, and your father's mentor and predecessor. She was one of my closest friends, practically a sister to me… we trained Toshinori together. He inherited One for All from her when he was fourteen years old, but by his eighteenth year, All for One had tracked Nana down as the current bearer of One for All. To ensure Toshinori's survival, Nana sacrificed herself, injuring All for One very gravely, to the extent that he was unable to keep an active pursuit of your father for many years afterwards."

"But being the Symbol of Peace and all that, your father basically made it his life's mission to hunt down All for One, even while going about his everyday hero duties. Akira Tamashini was his right-hand woman, his partner in running the top hero agency in our country. Together, they reduced crime rates everywhere by a drastic amount; they were practically unstoppable and undefeated in battle – yet All for One continued to elude them. Until ten years ago, that is. Akira and the acolytes of Elysium detected a source of great power, which they believed to be the receptacle of Erebus. We still don't know if that receptacle is a person, or an object – but we do know that it is in All for One's possession.

"With this new intel, they were able to trace All for One and track him down. But before they went about that, Akira pressured your father into passing on One for All to you, in case something happened to him."

Izuku's eyes widened. It suddenly all made sense: why he'd only met his father once, why his mother was always so protective of his patrilineal heritage, why they lived so far removed from All Might's life as a hero. Izuku realised that the memory of that one and only day he'd spent with his father was now a bit hazy and uncertain, and that most of it was from inferred memories of what his mother had told him of their meeting. He gritted his teeth in frustration, trying desperately to bring the blur into focus.

Gran Torino saw Izuku's distress. "You can't remember your interaction with your father because the passing of One for All is a very momentous, strenuous event, one that changes you forever. It cannot be passed accidentally, but only through utmost willingness — and when it is passed on, the new torchbearer inherits not only the original power of One for All, but the Quirks, willpower, and spirit of all their predecessors."

 ** _"Izuku! Izuku! Izuku! Iz—"_**

"Nyagh!" Izuku clamped his hands over his ears, the sudden clamour of voices crowding his mind.

"...And if you're starting to hear them calling out to you, then it is nearing the time that the rest of your powers will begin to manifest." Gran Torino chuckled. "It can be an unpleasant business. But, since both you and your father were both Quirkless before inheriting it, you only have _six_ other Quirks to handle as they start popping up. But you don't really have to worry about the other Quirks; Toshinori did pretty well for himself just being proficient with One for All..."

Izuku could barely hear Gran Torino as he wrestled with the voices in his head. The afterimages of the shadowy figures he saw in the arena flashed past his eyes. _One, two, three, four, five, six, seven…_ the eighth figure loomed in his imagination, and his familiar angular blue eyes came into focus. He grinned as his face became distinguishable amidst the shadows, and offered Izuku a characteristic thumbs-up.

Izuku fell out of his chair, and the image of All Might _poff'ed_ away. Gran Torino was cackling. "Did I really scare you _that_ much with all that? Phew. Damn those two for leaving me to explain it all to you… then again, your dear little mom Inko is probably way too flighty to be a good candidate for explaining this mumbo jumbo."

Izuku shut his eyes, trying to bring back the images of his father and the previous One for All bearers. _Wait… wait! Come back!_

"Get up, boy," Gran Torino pulled Izuku to his feet roughly, breaking him from his reverie. "You're not going to find the answers by entering some zen like the Tamashini's do, you'll just have to wait and let it happen on its own time." He gave Izuku an affirmative nod. "Now, consider yourself up to speed. Any questions?"

Izuku opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water. He had sat there listening in silence for so long, suppressing all the comments and thoughts and questions that had crossed his mind as Gran Torino had gone on and on, but now his mind was strangely still. Not empty, and certainly not _peaceful_ , but quiet. He now knew what had happened to him in the arena during the sports festival, and his guess hadn't been far off. _In a way, I guess it_ is _like being haunted…_

"OI!" Gran Torino barked.

"Oh," Izuku jolted, and then set his mouth in a firm, straight line. He suddenly bowed, bending deeply at the waist and lowering his head to Gran Torino. "I… thank you for sharing all that with me," he managed.

"Of course." Gran Torino patted the back of Izuku's head, roughly but affectionately. "Just doing my job. Now finish your soggy cereal, so we can get going for the day and—"

There was a buzz from the kitchen counter, and they both looked to see Izuku's cell phone vibrating its way dangerously close to the edge. It rumbled once, then twice, then thrice. Gran Torino scowled and caught it as it fell, tossing it over to Izuku. "Good grief. Answer that before whoever it is loses their mind," he huffed.

Izuku tapped the phone's screen, looking at his new messages as he sat back down in his chair at the dining table. Two blinked "unread," both from the same sender, Iida Tenya. Izuku furrowed his brow.

 _"Midoriya, contact me as soon as you receive this message._

 _"I need someone I can trust to have my back."_

 _"Come to Hosu City as soon as possible."_

Izuku's frown deepened, and he tapped out a reply. " _Wait up, Iida, what's going on? We're in the middle of internships week, I can't just up and get on a train just like that…_ " He gagged slightly on the soggy raisin cereal, but forced himself to swallow it down. _If I can't contain this breakfast, I probably can't contain One for All, either._ He tried to joke with himself, and drowned the taste in a gulp of milk.

His phone buzzed with a reply moments later. Izuku almost dropped it into his cereal in shock, the glass of milk spilling slightly as it was slammed back onto the table. He re-read Iida's reply a few times, hoping that he'd misread it somehow, but it was only one short line.

 _"My brother is dead."_

* * *

 **Next Chapter: Calamity**


	9. XI: Calamity

**Chapter Nine: Calamity**

* * *

— **Tamashini—**

Kaida ducked under Athos's swing, his staff swishing through the air just above her head. She pivoted backwards, taking a half-step and adjusting her grip on the blade-like scythe in her hands before swinging neatly upwards, severing the wooden staff cleanly in two. Lunging forwards to follow up, she swept the acolyte's legs out from under him and quickly pinned him to the ground, pressing the flat of her blade to his neck.

Elysium chuckled approvingly. **_"You fight in a way unlike your mother; still no wings. Are you simply more comfortable on the ground than in the air?"_**

Kaida stood, dispersing her weapon in a flicker of lights, eyeing the matching triple-blades on Elysium's tail as they folded together neatly. "The whole manifesting individualised parts at a time is still weird to me," she muttered. "And if we're honest, I don't grasp the point of flight while maintaining my human form — is it not simpler to shift entirely?"

 ** _"If you can successfully manifest my wings while in human form, you can maneuver much smaller spaces than in your full shift. We are exploring your options for flexibility,"_** the ethereal dragon said patiently. **_"Your sense of combat in dragon form is improving well, and your bladework in hand with the tail scythe is equally impressive — in that, you have certainly inherited your mother's talents. I ask that you continue to simply keep an open mind to the possibilities you have in hand; the situation may call for different adaptations."_**

"Yeah." Kaida nodded, and stretched her arms over her head. She glanced down at her body. "Speaking of possibilities, I think this alternate costume is growing on me. It feels more… protective than my mother's design."

Athos chuckled. "Covers more skin, too. More becoming of a young lady. And more akin to the plain female hero costumes that others might wear." Kaida raised an eyebrow at his commentary.

The secondary outfit that Endeavor had gifted her after the sports festival was more akin to a battledress than the tunic and skirts of her mother's hero costume. Instead of the brightly coloured linings and draping fabric, the new design was mostly black, with highlights of blue – the same shade as her fire – along the form-fitting edges. Comfortable leggings kept the chill of the cavern at bay, paired with a set of reinforced combat boots, that didn't restrict her legs as much as the thigh-highs from her mother's design.

" **_Enough idle talk on… fashion,"_** Elysium fluttered it's wings to catch their attention. **_"It is time for integration practise."_**

On cue, the other acolytes streamed into the main chamber, and took their places, cross-legged across the floor. Kaida seated herself next to Athos, under the shimmering avatar of the divine dragon, and rested her hands on her legs, palms-up. The others mirrored her pose, and as they closed their eyes the lights in the cavern walls began to glow brighter. Behind her, Elysium's form turned into a silver mist that danced around the room. The dragon's voice echoed in Kaida's ears.

 ** _"Close your eyes, child."_**

 _Yeah, I know the drill by now,_ Kaida sighed internally, but closed her eyes nonetheless. She felt herself slip into the aether almost immediately.

Her senses faded away, one by one, until they all melded seamlessly together. In her mind's eye, the ethereal world opened up before her. It was a symphony of sounds, a warm and cold river of the present, coalescing around her consciousness and slipping past, back into the stream of time and space. She found her stillness, and simply observed for a while. The reach of her awareness slowly spread from the cavern, up to the ancient temple above, to the town beyond, and blossoming outwards even further. There was no visual accompaniment to the integration experience, but an inexplicable sense of _presence,_ a sense of awareness. She learned that this was how Elysium experienced the mortal world, from its pocket of parallel existence, just beyond the veil of Kaida's reality.

Her mind turned towards those whose aura she was most attuned to, and she first located Kaiketsu. In the evening atmosphere, she felt his fatigue from a long day of training, his stoic sense of pride, and then the odd feeling of being watched as she crossed his mind.

 ** _"Don't focus for too long. It's intrusive."_**

 _Y-yeah,_ Kaida acknowledged. Her focus wavered for a moment, and the chill of the cavern tickled the edge of her consciousness before she slipped back. She focused inwards, trying to center herself on her inner flame. The warmth slowly spread out from her core, submerging her back into the state of integration. Her consciousness wandered again as she searched for her father.

Suddenly, a disconcerting feeling washed over her. Kaida instinctively opened her eyes, but the cavern before her was still distorted by the aether. Her distress rolled off of her in waves; she could see it affecting Athos and the other acolytes. _What is this?_ A strange panic crept up deep within her soul. She looked around anxiously. _Am I trapped between worlds?_ The dragon gave her no reply. When she turned to the tablet behind her, instead of Elysium's figure, she saw a white sphere of light, gleaming like a crystal ball.

Within it Kaida saw an unfamiliar landscape, a stone path winding through a grassy field. A woman was sitting against the short stone wall lining the path, dangling her legs off the edge as she stared pensively up into the sky. The wind stirred her short-cropped back hair. As Kaida watched, a man came into view, and the woman hopped to her feet, smiling as she greeted him and looped her arm around his. They continued down the path together.

As they reached the crest of the green hill before them, the pair paused, and turned towards Kaida, with a hint of tears in their eyes; warm green eyes, and lambent blue eyes, just like Kaida's. Her heartbeat quickened.

 _Mother? And… Father?_

Shinji smiled, a melancholy smile, and tucked his glasses into his shirt-pocket. Akira gave her daughter a nod.

Then Kaida found herself thrown back into reality, stumbling backwards and falling onto the stone floor. Athos ran to her side, helping her up. Her legs trembled under her.

"What— what was that?" She looked down at her shaking hands, flickers of blue-white light flickering around her vision and flame sparking between her fingers.

Athos looked up at the dragon's avatar for an answer. Elysium's eyes closed in thought. **_"An irregularity… I cannot be certain, myself."_**

 _It didn't look like anywhere I've seen before,_ Kaida thought. _But those were my parents, I'm certain..._ She pushed Athos away. "Something's wrong. I have to—"

"Slow down," he said.

"No, I—" Kaida tried to draw a deep breath, but her heart wouldn't stop racing. "I've never felt this feeling before. Everything I know is begging me to go." It was a fight-or-flight that nearly drove her mad. She looked up at Elysium pleadingly. It stared back, unblinking.

" **_Very well. Go see your father,"_** Elysium said decisively. **_"But maintain discretion — you cannot simply shift and take off back to the city; do not attract undue attention if possible."_**

Kaida bit her lip. "Alright," she said forcedly. "I'll call for a car."

The acolytes murmured amongst themselves. Athos stepped towards the dragon. "Your Eminence," he started, not impolitely, "this all seems rather… sudden, no?"

Elysium narrowed its eyes. **_"Tamashini is right — something is wrong. If she has taken our teachings to heart, we must place our trust in her to follow that instinct."_**

Kaida bowed deeply. "Thank you," she said, and turned towards the cavern exit. The acolytes parted to let her through, and her boots echoed around the walls as she involuntarily broke into a run.

* * *

— **Midoriya—**

Izuku sat awkwardly next to his mentor on the bullet train. He fiddled with the thick gloves of his hero costume, glancing down at his phone every other second.

 _Come on, Iida… don't leave me hanging like this._

"Oi," Gran Torino tapped Izuku's knee with his cane. "I agreed to this field trip to the end of fulfilling your actual internship — chasing down villains. That does not mean you can keep your eyes glued to your cell phone."

"Right, sorry," Izuku mumbled, flipping his phone face-down. He felt a wave of guilt. _Perhaps I should have disclosed the whole truth._ After receiving the worrying text message from his classmate about Ingenium's untimely death, Izuku had only disclosed to Gran Torino that the pro heroes stationed in Hosu were following some new leads that had not immediately been made public knowledge.

 _...But it's true that Ingenium needs our help. Maybe not the Ingenium that Gran Torino knew, but the next one._ Izuku balled his hands into fists. While he knew that he had to stay resolute if he wanted to lend aid to his friend, the grim reality that Tenya faced was one that Izuku knew all too well. Now Tenya, too, had shoes to fill that he neither chose nor expected – at least, not nearly so soon. Especially in light of all that Izuku had recently learned of his own legacy, he felt deeply for his friend.

A sonorous humming noise filled the air as the train lurched suddenly, sliding to a halt. The intercom chimed in over the murmurs of passengers:

 **"** **_Please remain seated. We are making an emergency stop. I repeat: please remain seated…"_**

"Midoriya." Gran Torino said gravely. "We are not far from our destination."

"Huh?"

Gran Torino pointed out the window. Surely enough, there was the station, not more than a few hundred metres ahead. Izuku pressed his face against the glass, squinting at the bright fluorescent lights twinkling in the evening haze.

A shriek pierced the air, drowning out the intercom; a cry somewhere between a banshee's scream and the call of a bird of prey, and Izuku felt his blood run cold. _I've heard that before._ He grabbed Gran Torino's shoulder in warning. "It's—"

The cabin shook violently. The train's lights flickered, and with a painfully sharp sound, one of the doors was torn open, a set of gruesomely long talons tearing through the steel as if it were paper. A head with a half-exposed brain peered in through the hole, and the creature's mouth twisted into an evil smile.

As the passengers started to scream and scatter, Gran Torino disappeared from Izuku's side in a puff of air. His yellow boots flashed past before they planted in the Nomu's face, and both hero and creature were knocked out of sight.

"Torino!" Izuku cried out in alarm. He felt his phone buzz in his hand, and glanced down. _Now?_ He squinted at the notification, a message from Iida. Hoping that his friend could shed some light on the evolving situation, Izuku quickly unlocked his phone, pressing himself behind a row of chairs and out of sight.

 _An image_ — _no, a link._ Izuku tapped on it, and a map appeared on his screen. A red dot flashed silently at him. _His GPS location… a distress signal, then?_

As the passengers fled past Izuku, retreating to further cars of the train, he shoved his phone into his pocket and leapt to his feet. He pushed the other way and felt the familiar tingle in his legs, activating his Quirk as he prepared to launch himself out of the train. Silently praying that Gran Torino would be able to take care of the Nomu and protect the train's passengers, Izuku glanced once more at the digital map, and set his mind on the task at hand: to save just _one_ person. But he had a bad feeling about what Tenya Iida had gotten himself into.

* * *

— **Tamashini—**

Kaida had been sitting in tense silence for the first half hour of the car ride when she suddenly cried out, her head hitting the headrest with a sharp thud. Her hand clenched around her chest. The feeling had returned — ripping the warmth from her heart and stealing the air from her lungs, but it was gone again almost as soon as it had come, leaving her hollow and shaking.

"Stop the car," she said hoarsely. _We're too slow._

Her driver looked over at her, alarmed. "Tamashini-san?"

"Pull over _now!_ "

He obliged, flicking the hazards on and sliding to a halt by the side of the road. Kaida unfastened her seatbelt, tossing it aside as she flung the passenger door open.

 ** _"What are you doing?"_ **Elysium's tone was stern.

"I have to go, I'm sorry; there's no time to explain," she said aloud. Before her bewildered driver could respond, she fumbled and slammed the door shut, and the world flashed around her as she shifted, disregarding Elysium's disapproval. Her shift completed and she beat her wings, soaring up into the dusk, a flickering spark in the sky's smothering night.

The fear in her heart felt alien. In her darkest times, Kaida could always resolve her apprehensions with the comfort of subjectivity; for every wrongdoing that happened in the world, there was a motive, a villain behind it, and for every challenge, a solution to be found. But this time, her panic was dissociative, without source or target.

All she knew was that when she'd felt that change, the world seemed to turn a shade darker.

* * *

— **Todoroki—**

Shoto tapped the canisters on his utility belt, idly popping them open and closed while tuning out the sirens of the police cars that flanked his father's vehicle as they sped down the roads towards Hosu.

"Look alive," Endeavor said sternly.

Within the last half hour, he had interrupted the family dinner and hustled out the door to answer the police's distress call, throwing a new hero costume at Shoto as he was dragged along. It was much more high-tech than Shoto's original design, made of a fireproof dark blue fabric like Endeavor's and equipped with special sensors, to monitor Shoto's body temperature so that he could dual-wield his Quirk without causing too much stress on his body from hot-cold shifts. Shoto tugged on the collar uncomfortably. _I hope I'll be able to fight in this,_ he thought, slightly unoptimistic.

As the number one hero, it was Endeavor's duty to be on the scene of any major crime activities that warranted his attention. Although Shoto acted aloof as ever, he could not truly suppress the thrill of being taken along on his father's business.

As they entered Hosu's city limits, the chaos became apparent. Civilians were fleeing down the sidewalks and streets, while the local police shepherded them onwards, away from the center of the downtown area. Shoto could see the tell-tale glow of fires breaking out across the city, reflected on the glass walls of the high-rise buildings, accompanied by the foul scents of burnt debris. The caravan of vehicles stopped and Endeavor stepped out, his flames lighting along the lines of his costume.

"Stay close," he ordered, and took off in the opposite direction of the crowd, towards the wreckage ahead. Shoto kept pace, skating along beside his father.

The crowd's rising panic manifested in scattered cries and screams. Shoto caught sight of a looming beast tearing through the civilians, tossing limp bodies left and right. He felt a chill. _Nomus…_ After the incident at USJ, Shoto knew that it was not likely to be his first and last encounter with the creatures, but he was still held back by instinctive caution.

Endeavor took the lead and locked on to his target, leaping up into the air on fiery steps. Seeing the challenger approaching, the Nomu stopped terrorizing the civilians, and crouched down, leaping up to meet the flame hero. "Watch out!" Shoto called a warning, shooting a blast of ice to slow the Nomu down. But before the creature could even reach Endeavor, it immolated it in a cylinder of flame. It screeched in pain, until only a blackened, silent corpse remained.

Endeavor landed heavily next to the smoking remains, and nodded over his shoulder. "Good assist," he said approvingly. Shoto felt a sense of awe as he looked into his father's cold, unflinchingly blue eyes. He had always hated his father's brazen confidence in the field, but now, working by his side, Shoto had a new appreciation for the courage behind Endeavor's strength.

"Thanks," he muttered.

"Endeavor-san!" A police car pulled up behind them. The chief rolled down his window, waving his arms towards the heroes. "A report from the station, sir!"

"What?" Endeavor asked impatiently, his eyebrow twitching. "We're in a live situation here, what could possibly—"

"There is an alleged situation at your estate, sir!" The chief looked nervous. "Reportedly an unnatural, _blue_ house fire; certainly no accident!"

"Blue… fire, you say?" Endeavor stiffened, an uncharacteristically unnerved look crossing his face. He set his jaw, suddenly grabbing Shoto by the arm. "Stay here. Do what I did and don't hesitate to handle others like that monster we just fought — your fire will serve you well. It stops their regenerative abilities if you amp the temperature high enough."

"Where are you—"

"I'll deal with the situation at home. Your brother and sister might be there… and no one sets fires on my property but _me._ "

Shoto blinked, giving Endeavor a brief, affirmative nod. "Alright then… good luck." His worry for his siblings' safety was overshadowed by the simple truth that his father could handle the threat at home with or without Shoto, and he knew better than to start an argument.

 _Though it's oddly… personal of him, to insist on handling a family matter on his own,_ he thought. He tightened his hands into fists at his sides. _Now isn't the time to ponder on such things._

Endeavor was already climbing into the police car. He gave his son a brief nod, and with a screech of tires, the vehicle sped off.

* * *

— **Tamashini—**

Her wings whipped through the air, wind and fire streaming beneath them as the urban landscape blurred past. She knew well enough that the attention she was drawing was far from minimal, but her pounding heart drove her single-mindedly onwards. As the streets grew more familiar, she finally slowed her breakneck pace, treading the air more carefully as she scanned the rooftops for her residential block. The blue-and-red police lights caught her attention immediately, flashing amidst the street lamps. The feeling of dread weighed down on her, palpable enough to slow her wing-beats as she descended towards the commotion.

A cold numbness spread through her veins when she saw the sheer quantity of squad cars lining the street, along with a fire truck and ambulance. A small crowd of civilians was gathered behind a taped-off police line, on the sidewalk outside the gate to her house…

Or at least, where her house _used_ to be. There was a gaping space between the residences to the left and right properties, and a dusty pile of rubble splayed out across the foundations and lawn.

The crowd looked up, murmuring in surprise as the dragon landed with a rumble in the middle of the wreckage. The police and paramedics on the scene waved their arms wildly, trying to gesticulate for her to stay back, but she paid them no heed. Her flames wrapped around her talons as her distress manifested, the anxious flutters in her feathers disturbing the dust drifting around the rubble.

She took in the destruction before her slowly, disbelievingly. The residence looked like it had almost collapsed in on itself, pieces of mortar and walls laying almost perfectly in the outline of the floor plan. She could see a hint of blue from the couch cushions scattered where the living room used to be, the corners of blankets, bedsheets and curtains fluttering about… then she caught sight of a metallic shape underneath a pile of shattered concrete. Her tail swept the debris aside, and her heart skipped a beat as she recognised her father's half-crushed black Mercedes, still parked in the driveway.

Her aura crumpled around her, and she felt herself dwindling back to her human form, falling to her knees. _Maybe he was out on a walk._ She was dimly aware of an officer rushing to her side. _Maybe he had a dinner with his colleagues, and took the bus. Maybe—_

"Miss Tamashini… please step back, we are—"

"Chief Tachibana! We've found a body!" A paramedic called from the center of the lot.

Kaida lurched to her feet, shoving the police chief away from her as she leapt through the rubble. She slipped slightly on a broken marble tile from the kitchen, and stumbled over dust-covered pots and pans and wall fixtures strewn here and there. _No._

 _No, no, no, no…_

The firefighters' team shifted a fallen support beam, and pulled a crumpled figure free from the debris.

" **_...Tamashini."_**

"Don't say a damn word. Shut the _fuck_ up," Kaida said aloud, her own voice sounding more foreign than the dragon's in her head. She staggered the remaining distance to the search team. The man and woman who had pulled the body out had it cradled between them. Kaida's stomach turned over. Her father's favorite lounge pants and sweatshirt were stained with blood, his limbs hanging at awkward angles.

"Who did this?" She whispered.

"We… we don't know," the woman said uneasily. "The call was made to the station saying that there was a massive noise, and the neighbours came out to see… this. There was no one on the scene otherwise."

"I won't take that uninformed response as an answer," Kaida said coldly. Her eyes flared, and her aura surged around her once more.

 ** _Who did this?_**

She turned the question inwards, every ounce of pain and fury in her soul integrating with the divine sense that she had been cultivating over the past week throughout her training. The response was overwhelming, and with the intense influx of stimuli that reached her came the deafening roar of bloodlust. She could sense and vaguely hear Elysium calling out to her from behind it all, but she shut its voice out, drowning it in her will.

 ** _This is my power. You will be silent._**

Her hatred found a source, a trace of the malice that had been lingering in the aether where her house had stood, and she locked on to her target, far in the distance. She snapped her eyes open, and stepped barely enough out of the way to shift, setting the grass and remaining greenery alight as she took off back into the night. Climbing back into the sky, she fixed her gaze on the cityscapes before her, and the clouds of smoke rising in the distance, above Hosu.

* * *

— **Shigaraki—**

Its whisper was like the dry sound of wind blowing through a dead forest; hushed but persistent, _insistent_ , even, commanding the listener's attention from somewhere between worlds. " **_Ah… the girl is coming."_**

" _Elysium…_ hah." Tomura turned towards his master, and the voice that emanated from the dark orb in the man's hands.

 ** _"She is a fool to call herself by that name. She's just a fragile, emotional girl. A woefully small human, unbefitting of the divine mantle."_**

"Can you blame her, after she's found the present we left her?" Beside Tomura, a man wearing a plague-doctor's mask sneered.

* * *

 **Kai Chisaki**

 **Quirk: Overhaul** **  
****He can freely manipulate the matter around him, destroying or reassembling anything within a thirty-metre radius of him.**

* * *

"Stay your confidence, Chisaki." The master said sternly. "It is unwise to lord over so small a victory. The father was an easy target."

" **Boss,"** another disembodied voice echoed through the room, this time, from a swirling portal. **"Dabi has been noticed at the Todoroki residence. The attack on Hosu is going well. What is our next move?"**

The man in the black suit leaned back in his seat, turning the dark orb over in his hands. A single, slitted amber eye swirled to the surface, staring up at him. "Kurogiri… take Tomura with you to Hosu. I want him there to greet the girl when she arrives. I will assist you from here."

Tomura bowed deeply. "As you wish, master." He grinned, leering behind the hand-mask on his face. "Thank you for the opportunity… I won't squander it."

* * *

— **Midoriya—**

Izuku's red sneakers thudded against the ground as he sprinted down side streets and alleyways. He could hear the pro heroes arriving on the scene, engaging the Nomus in combat on the main streets.

 _Stay focused… stay hidden!_

He looked at the blinking red dot on his phone, frowning. Iida had been moving, but the dot had recently stopped. Staring down at his digital map, Izuku nearly missed the turn into the alleway where Iida was.

It was inexplicably darker than the streets around it. Izuku pressed himself against the wall, peering around the corner. He squinted, trying to make anything out. As his eyes adjusted to the dim lighting, he saw two figures against the wall of one of the buildings.

One of them was wreathed in black tongues of flame, an aura that flared around him, consuming the surrounding light. His skin was tattooed with faintly glowing red runes, which Izuku also recognised… the pages of his favorite notebook flipped past in his mind, to the page with Kaida's handwriting and sketches on it. An arrow pointed at each of the different, intricate runes, with a label in her neat script.

 _The ancient script of Erebus, the primordial dragon of chaos. A language it whispers in the minds of his followers; to any who would listen and heed its call._

Izuku shivered, and he clenched his jaw, tightening his fist against the wall. Leaning in closer, he made out the shapes of Iida's mecha-esque hero costume in silhouette. The dark figure had the boy pinned up against the wall, one hand wrapped around his neck and the other driving a gleaming katana through his shoulder. Iida was nearly silent, but Izuku could hear the other person's low, hissing voice.

"You are nothing more than an inconsequential child… but if you continue to resist, I have no choice but to end you. It is my duty… my DESTINY — to burn this world to ashes so that the next can rise anew."

"Shut… shut up!" Iida managed, his voice strained. " _You're_ just a villain with delusions of grandeur — delusions that have cost many fine people their lives!"

Izuku's eyes widened. _Then that's him! The so-called Hero Killer, Stain? But he doesn't look like the villains from USJ – no, his aura is much darker. He's much further bound to his ideals, almost_ consumed _by that overwhelming…_ The dark flames flared up, as Stain laughed.

"'Fine' people, you say?" He sneered. "You live in a society where every pathetic commoner with a Quirk dons a costume and calls themself a _hero_. Where were the heroes when Symbol of Peace and the Divine Dragon's vessel were killed? They were _helpless_. If you can't even stand behind the pillars of your society, you don't deserve to live."

"Everyone deserves to live," Iida snapped. "How could you say something so utterly insane? Everyone does the best they can – everyone has their own name to bear, no matter who they are!"

"Then tell me, _boy_ — what name do you claim for yourself?"

"Listen well, villain!" Iida raised his voice in a swell of courage. "This is the name of the hero who will cut you down to reality – the name I have inherited from a most worthy brother, whom you ended well before his time." Iida's engines revved defiantly. "I AM INGENIUM!"

* * *

 **Recipro Burst!**

* * *

With a mighty explosion, he blasted off of the wall. The katana piercing his arm was buried to the hilt as Iida carried Stain along with his momentum, crashing them both to the ground.

Izuku made his move. "Iida!"

One for All surged through his body, reaching every inch of his limbs as he'd practiced many times before. He dashed forwards with incredible speed, tackling the villain before he could rise from the ground. Stain kept his grip on his katana, pulling it free from Iida and rolling with it as he collided with Izuku, landing on his feet. Izuku landed more clumsily, skidding slightly as he regained his footing to face the Stain. He felt a slight sting on his arm, and saw that the blade had nicked him at some point – just barely, but enough to slice through the fabric of his sleeve and draw a thin line of blood.

The villain grinned widely, looking the newcomer up and down. "What a _righteous_ aura… could this be the heir to a great power?"

Izuku stole a glance towards Iida, who was struggling to his feet as well. He clenched his fists, readying for another pass at the villain.

"Not so fast," Stain's eyes gleamed, and his tongue lashed out. It was unnaturally long and as it swept the edge of his katana, Izuku felt his limbs suddenly lock up, and he crumpled to the floor, paralysed.

* * *

 **Stain**

 **Quirk: Bloodcurdle  
** **By ingesting the blood of his victims, he attacks their nervous system, rendering them temporarily immobile.**

* * *

"Mmmmm… yes, this taste," he licked his lips. "The blood of a _true_ hero, indeed. Great power flows through your veins, boy." He sheathed his blade across his back, striding up to Izuku. Stain grabbed the boy's chin roughly with one hand, meeting Izuku's eyes with his own. They were frightfully dark, his sclera completely black, with red irises. He grinned again. "Yes… I think I'll let _you_ live. To see the truth of the new world. But first, to finish this other one." Stain pulled a jagged bayonet knife from his belt, taking a menacing step towards Iida and obstructing Izuku's view of the other boy.

" _Bleed for Erebus."_

"No!" Izuku struggled in vain, his muscles refusing to obey. Iida let out a yell of pain, and Stain laughed again.

"It'll take more than that to end you… I like to savor my kills. Let's—"

He was cut off by a high-pitched screech, and a bulky shape sailed over Izuku's head, clipping him slightly as it hurtled past. Izuku gasped, winded, and realised that the villain's ability had been broken by the jostling. He looked up to see what had arrived.

Stain recovered quickly again, and flipped his grip on his knife, drawing his katana with his free hand. Crouched between the villain and the boys was a monstrous, towering beast, with four bat-like wings.

 _Another Nomu?_ Izuku grabbed Iida, pulling him to the side as Stain snarled, charging the beast.

"Wait, are they not on the same side?" Iida coughed, a splatter of blood staining his arm-guard. "What's going on?"

A flare filled the alleyway, and Izuku turned away to shield his eyes. _What now?_ A cold gust of air followed suit, and someone else zipped past, skating along the path of ice and following up with another blast of fire. The Nomu shied away, screeching indignantly, and the flames cleared to reveal a third boy.

"Todoroki-kun?" Izuku's jaw dropped.

Todoroki glanced over his shoulder, the flames smouldering across his left arm. "Midoriya," he acknowledged, "you take care of the villain. I'll handle this one…" He blasted more ice at the Nomu's feet, locking it down to the asphalt. It flared its wings out, screeching a challenge.

Izuku propped Iida up against the wall. "Stay put," he said. "Don't get up and do anything stupid." Before Iida could protest, Izuku leapt away, scaling the walls of the alley to skirt around the Nomu and Todoroki.

Stain barely looked up in time as Izuku came down with a drop-kick. He managed to knock the katana out of the villain's hand, dazing him in the process. Izuku saw that the Nomu had noticeably injured Stain, leaving the villain's knife-arm dangling uselessly by his side. Before Stain could regain his senses, Izuku wound his arm back for a punch.

* * *

 **Full Cowling… Smash!**

* * *

He caught Stain's chin with the uppercut, which sent a vortex of compressed air shooting up between the buildings. The villain let out a choking cry, flying off backwards and flopping onto the ground, unmoving. At the same time, the Nomu's gurgling screech was silenced by a crackling inferno.

Izuku dashed to Stain's fallen form, preparing to hit him again, but saw that the man's eyes were rolled back into his head. His dark aura had faded, as had the patterns on his skin. _Unconscious,_ Izuku realised, and relaxed slightly. _We'll take him to the police for custody._ He turned around, and approached Todoroki, who was circling his defeated adversary. The Nomu's body was burnt to a crisp."Is… is it dead?"

"I hope so," Todoroki shrugged. He crinkled his nose at the foul scent of burning flesh, and waved his hand at the body, encasing it in a thick layer of ice. "There." He bent down and tossed Iida's uninjured arm across his shoulder. "You grab the villain. I'll help Iida along; he needs medical attention."

The blue-haired boy coughed weakly, staring at the ground. "Thank you, Todoroki; Midoriya. I… I owe you my life."

"Heh," Izuku scratched the back of his head. "That's what friends are for, right?" He offered Iida a reassuring smile, chasing away the adrenaline of his fight. The image of All Might's wide grin flashed through Izuku's mind.

 _Yeah… I've got_ his _smile. And with that, I_ can _save people._

* * *

— **Todoroki—**

The three made their way out of the alley, Iida limping along with Shoto's support and Izuku dragging Stain's unconscious body, with some difficulty. Shoto gave Midoriya a sideways glance, unconvinced. "Need help?"

Izuku cleared his throat. "N-no, I've got it," he mumbled, shifting his grip on Stain's collar. "How did you find us, anyway?"

"I didn't," Shoto said plainly. "I was following that Nomu, and it seemed drawn to something. Him, probably." He jerked a thumb at Stain. "Anyway, the pros have drawn up a defensive line. Most of the other Nomus are within a mile-wide radius, and the combat-types are handling it pretty well. If we head this way, we can rendezvous with the police without much trouble."

"Sounds good." Midoriya nodded, and followed Shoto's lead. He was surprised that Midoriya didn't have any further questions about the evolving situation… but in fairness, Shoto had plenty of accusations to make as to what Midoriya and Iida were doing on their own taking on the Hero Killer, but Shoto held his tongue for the time being.

They emerged onto the main street, where firefighters and police were shepherding the remaining evacuees away from the combat. Shoto could make out the shapes of several Nomus amidst the chaos, but they were far outnumbered by the ranks of pro heroes that kept the monsters' attention. A paramedic caught sight of the boys, and Shoto waved them over.

"What happened?" The paramedic took Iida from Shoto, and looked over Midoriya's shoulder. "Is that — is that one of the villains?"

"Yeah," Shoto nodded. "For some reason, he got attacked by those monsters too, though. Do we have any new leads as to what they're after?"

"No," the paramedic shook her head. "But the damage control is well under way. The defensive line is holding, and almost all of the civilians are out of harm's way."

"Good." Shoto pulled his phone out of his pocket and frowned. No new messages. _No news from Father?_

"Todoroki," Midoriya tapped on Shoto's arm, after passing Stain off to a couple of police officers. "I'm going to go look for Gran Torino. Hopefully he—"

A thunderous roar ripped through the air and interrupted him, accompanied by a fresh clamour from the civilians and officials alike. From above the cloud-line, lit by the fires and city lights, a blue-white blaze grew brighter and brighter before the haze parted and a dragon dropped from the sky, landing well beyond the defensive line. It bellowed again, roaring a challenge to the Nomus. Fire radiated from around its talons and legs, hot enough to send the pros scattering backwards.

"Is that—"

"Kaida," Shoto's eyes widened. He started towards her, but Midoriya grabbed his arm.

"No, wait! It's not safe!"

The Nomus screeched back, shying away from the heat of the dragonfire, but did not flee. They encircled the dragon even as the flames ate away at their limbs, peeling back their mottled skin and smoking the flesh beneath. Before any of them could make a move, Kaida lunged forwards, snapping the nearest Nomu between her jaws, tearing it in two and flinging its corpse aside. She whipped her tail at two that approached her flank, her triple-blades fanning out and severing their legs. Watching their comrades fall, the other Nomus screeched again, in a rallying cry. The dragon howled back, fresh flames dancing from her blood-stained maw.

The monsters surged forwards as one, onto the dragon from all sides. The conflagration seethed to an irradiated hue, scorching the monsters even as they tore into her, ripping at her wings and body. She snarled, and then there was a moment of artificial silence as the energy was sapped from the air. A blinding light discharged from her body, punctuating the hush with a concussive explosion a split second afterwards, the shockwave rippling out far enough to stagger everyone on the street.

Shoto and his allies around him were knocked to the ground. When he scrambled upright, he saw Kaida standing at the center of the ring of destruction. While the impact hadn't caused any of the people at his distance much harm, the Nomus were far worse off. Her blood and theirs pooled at her talons. Bits of their bodies were scattered here and there, between rows of torn-up pavement, vehicles, and foliage that had lined the street. The ground itself was alight, suffused with the same fury reflected in the dragon's eyes.

She threw back her head and let out another roar. Her voice echoed through the streets.

" **Show yourself, you bastard!"**

Her tone was wrought with so much anger and pain that it made Shoto's heart ache.

 _What the hell is going on?_ He rolled to his feet, and saw the swirling dark portal open up before the dragon.

" _Kaida!"_ Shoto yelled, and lifted himself up on a pillar of ice, before anyone could stop him. He could hear Midoriya and the others shouting in alarm and warning, but he shot himself forwards, towards the dragon. His ice pillar wilted in the heat of her flames, but he pushed his Quirk to its limit, carrying himself onwards.

The dragon's attention was turned towards the portal. As Shoto drew nearer, a matrix of black and red tendrils exploded out from the shadows, driving into the Kaida from every angle.

"NO!"

The fires died out instantly, and with a meager flicker, Kaida was reduced to her human form. She was suspended a few feet off the ground, eyes wide, still entrapped within the pulsing blades. Shoto touched down a bit away, and sprinted towards her. At the same time, a blue-haired man stepped through the portal, accompanied by the shadowed warp villain that Shoto recognised from USJ.

"Oh?" A fresh portal appeared under Shoto's feet, and with an uneasy sense of déjà vu, he found himself falling onto his face, before the newly-appeared villains.

" **This boy, again."** Kurogiri looked down at Shoto.

"Yes, I remember him," Shigaraki sighed tiredly. He walked over to stand between Kaida and Shoto. "Try anything funny, and she dies." Shoto tensed up, but one of the blade-like tendrils made a sharp turn towards him. It buried itself in his stomach.

"Nngh…!" He looked down, expecting to see blood blossoming across his chest, but there was no wound. The edge of the blade pulsed, and Shoto felt his strength sapped away from him, the temperature extremes on either side of his body dwindling out of reach.

* * *

 **All for One**

 **Ability: Forcible Quirk Activation  
** **A stolen emitter-type Quirk that allows the user to manipulate another's Quirk at will. It does not cause true physical harm to its victims.**

* * *

"Ah, thank you, master," the blue-haired man turned back towards the portal, nodding appreciatively. "That simplifies things."

"Just do it," Kaida spat. "Kill me and get it over with, there's no need to toy with him." She jerked her chin towards Shoto, not meeting his eyes.

"Where's the fun in that, my dear?" Shigaraki knelt down in front of Kaida, cupping her chin in his hand, careful to leave two fingers away from her skin. He ran his thumb along her jawline, wiping away a streak of dirt and blood on her pale cheek. Shoto gritted his teeth.

"Get away from her," he growled.

" **Silence,"** Kurogiri said sternly. **"She is in no real danger… today."**

Shigaraki tutted. "Don't spoil the ending," he pouted.

"Then what do you want?" Kaida's voice cracked. "Why are you doing this? What could you possibly have to gain—"

"We've gained _everything_ ," Shigaraki grinned, leaning in closer to her face. "Your _misery…_ your _fear_ … You now know that your strength and safety are both an illusion. By this same weakness, my master took your mother's life."

Kaida struggled against her restraints. "My father had _nothing_ to do with any of this. He wasn't the slightest threat to you, so _why him?_ "

 _Her father?_ Shoto's eyes widened.

"A lesson for you," Shigaraki said, flicking Kaida's trembling lip with his rough fingernail. " I would hope that our generosity in giving you this time to wallow in the depravity of helplessness will teach you that you are _nothing_ … your world, the world that Elysium has worked so hard to maintain over the generations of your family, everything will fall apart before your eyes in the wake of Erebus's rebirth."

" **Master Shigaraki,"** Kurogiri spoke up. **"Time is short."** The villains looked up, and saw the pro heroes assembling behind the defensive line, preparing to advance.

"I think we're done here," Shigaraki stood, dusting off his knees. He stepped back towards the portal.

"Get back here," Kaida cried. "Don't you dare walk away—"

Shigaraki snorted with laughter. "Your threats are awfully endearing." He glanced down at Shoto and sneered before turning his back on the boy.

A yellow streak shot through the air, finding no target as the villains stepped back through the portal. Gran Torino changed his momentum abruptly, catching Kaida as she fell to the ground, the dark coils disappearing with the enemies. "Tamashini," he shook her shoulders.

"Kaida," Shoto went to her side, as the other pro heroes caught up. He struggled to find any other words to say.

She looked at him, glassy-eyed, and wept.

* * *

 ** _Next chapter: Aftermath_**


	10. X: Aftermath

— **Todoroki—**

There was a knock on Shoto's door. He sighed.

"Fuyumi, I told you; I'm not hungry."

The door opened. Irritated, Shoto rolled over on his bed, only to see his father looming in the doorway. "She told me you wouldn't be joining us for dinner. Brooding in here alone isn't going to help anyone."

"I'm not brooding," Shoto muttered. He set his cell phone onto the tatami floor next to him, where it rested in silence. _Still no reply._

"She's safe. And she'll pull through," Enji said gruffly, taking a guess at what was on Shoto's mind. He closed the door behind him and sat down heavily, cross-legged on one of the cushions. He eyed the pile of origami flowers on Shoto's desk. "The UA heroes are looking out for her. Legally, she doesn't have any relatives who could have taken custody, so that's her best bet."

"Yeah," he replied shortly. "It's not like this household could have been any more hospitable, anyway."

"Shoto," Enji rubbed the bridge of his nose, "inviting her to live with us would be _far_ from appropriate. And need it bear repeating… the issue of everyone's safety is paramount."

 _Everyone, huh?_ Shoto stared at the floor. "Tell me…" he said tersely, "why do you suddenly seem to care so much, about people other than yourself?"

"Watch your tone," Enji narrowed his eyes. "Don't make such presumptions about what I do or do not prioritise. Everything I've done has been in the best interests of my children."

"Your methods are questionable," Shoto muttered. "And you're still keeping Mom locked up, even though you know she's not any sort of danger—"

"I do not know that for a fact. I can't keep a constant eye on that woman, so it is illogical to allow her back into this household. I will never forgive what she did to you."

"What, because I'm your most prized possession?"

Enji's anger flickered. "Don't be confrontational," he warned.

Shoto ran a hand through his hair. _He has a point. What reason do I have for picking a fight right now…?_

"Who am I kidding… You probably get that _angst_ from me," Enji muttered. "All the same… Shoto, I truly am proud of the progress you've made. To see you learn to shape your power as you have — I don't doubt that Tamashini has played a large role in your growth." Shoto's eyebrow twitched. His father continued, "I understand that you have little reason to believe me when I say that everything I've done has been in you and your siblings' best interest, but allow me to tell you something that I haven't shared with you or the others before. Think of it as... a token of good faith."

In spite of himself, Shoto's interest was piqued. "I'm listening."

"Do you remember when your eldest brother, Touya, went missing? You were much younger then, but—"

Shoto's hand ghosted across the scar over his eye. "I remember." It was the day before his mother had burned him. _And I remember the fear and madness in her eyes, before she injured me, and before you sent her away._

"The police ruled it a suicide, after he was located and the building that they found him in went up in flames. But, in truth… they never found any remains."

Shoto sat up, warily. "Are you telling me that you think Touya is alive, and you never bothered to so much as tell anyone or go looking for him?"

"He didn't want to be found; he made that much clear." Enji ground his teeth. "It was simpler to tell you and your mother and siblings that he was dead, and to move on with our lives."

Shoto laughed incredulously. "You mean so that _you_ could carry on without any of that 'extra baggage' you saw him as." _God… why am I even indulging him in this conversation right now?_ He thought to himself. "Why the hell are you telling me all this now—what do you expect me to say or do?"

His father stood up and walked toward him. Shoto instinctively tensed up, but when he looked at his father's expression, he saw a countenance there that he hadn't seen before. Enji sat down on the bed next to his son, resting his hands on his own knees and leaning forwards, closing his eyes. "Shoto… it's true that much of what I built this family upon was in self-interest. I wanted to surpass my greatest rivals. I wanted to raise a successor that could stand amongst the most powerful and respected heroes, and I fancied you to be that successor.

"But then All Might was killed." Enji opened his eyes, staring distantly at the floor. "And Elysium, not long after. I have borne the mantle of the number one hero with pride… but I never wanted it to happen as it did. Death – _their_ deaths, specifically – put a lot into perspective for me. I started to strive to be not only a better hero… but a better man."

"You aren't doing admirably in the latter department," Shoto said, brazenly. To his great surprise, he didn't receive an immediate backhand. Instead, his father laughed, a slow and humorless laugh.

"You're right."

Shoto blinked. _Uh… what?_

Enji turned to face his son, and Shoto saw the emotion in his father's face, the softness and strife there that juxtaposed so strongly with the internalised image that Shoto had of the man before him.

"Shinji Kirisaki was not a hero," Enji said. "He was a father. But being a father, he was just as important than all the other pro heroes, if not moreso, to his daughter. He, too, met his end… and once again, I find myself faced with the reality of the world beyond my own ideals. I do not expect nor will I ask for your forgiveness for anything from the past — I only wish to convey to you that my efforts going forwards will be more focused on reminding my children of the importance of family." Before Shoto could reply, Enji stood and headed for the door.

Shoto watched his father leave, without so much as a call to stay. Similarly, his father did not pause or glance over his shoulder, closing the door behind him with a full thud. Shoto folded his hands together, and stared down at the floor, sifting through his own emotions at his father's disclosure, letting their anomalous dialogue sink in.

* * *

— **Tamashini—**

Kaida looked at her phone as it buzzed for what seemed like a thousandth time, and dismissed the message notification without opening it, or bothering to see who it was from. _Kaiketsu, Shoto, Kaiketsu again, Izuku… and all the others, however the hell they got my contact info._ Their concerns had been flooding in over the last few days, but she had neither the energy nor the heart to receive words of comfort.

She sat on a cushioned chair outside of the conference room, fingering the hem of her skirt. Since being taken into custody by the school's administration, her entire wardrobe, aside from the two costumes and few changes of clothes that had been returned to her from Kiyo-Mizudera, consisted of freshly-pressed UA uniforms. The skirts were all stiff and a bit starchy, and none of the socks fit quite right. _Not to mention the added discomfort of having to sleep on a couch in one of the teachers' lounges._

She paused for a moment. _Are you there, dragon? Where's the chastising for dwelling on my grievances? Not so much as a word of reprimand?_

" ** _...no, child. It is appropriate to feel the emotions that trouble you now."_**

Elysium's voice sounded more distant than normal. Kaida rubbed her forehead. It had been that way since the incident in Hosu — she suspected that in drawing so much of the dragon's power for her own purposes, Elysium had been effectively drained; weakened.

" ** _Temporarily. It will take time to replenish my presence."_**

 _...Good,_ Kaida thought to herself. _A bit of distance is what I need right now._

The door beside her opened, and Nezu shuffled out.

* * *

 **Nezu**

 **Quirk: High Specs**

 **Despite being an animal (a cross between some sort of mouse and bear), Nezu possesses a higher intelligence and consciousness that even surpasses normal humans. He is an influential figure in modern society, and the principal of UA.**

* * *

"Tamashini-chan," he said, cheerily. "We're about to begin, if you still wish to join us."

Kaida stood with a nod, smoothing out her skirt and tossing her phone into her bag. She followed the short white figure into the conference room. He politely gestured to a chair beside him, near the head of the table, and she took her place in silence.

She looked around the table, avoiding the direct gazes of the gathered heroes and officials. She recognised the police chief, as well as some of the local government; and along with UA's primary staff, several of the top heroes were also present, including Endeavor. Kaida folded her hands in her lap, pushing away the pang of guilt as she thought about Shoto.

"Okay," Nezu cleared his throat. "Thank you again for all being here. As you know, we are gathered here today to discuss the most pragmatic way to proceed following the Hosu City crisis, as well as the two civilian attacks within the last week, on both the Tamashini-Kirisaki household and the Todoroki estate."

Kaida blinked in surprise. She hadn't heard of the latter.

"Though many civilian casualties were suffered, the situation was quickly under control once the villains retreated," the police chief added. "...in spite of the loss of Shinji Kirisaki, the Todoroki family is safe." Endeavor nodded affirmatively.

Kaida looked down at the table at the mention of her father. Over the last few days, she'd grown numb to it. She avoided the topic whenever possible, and she still felt slightly out of touch with the new reality of her situation, but the crippling grief and anger was gone, burned away in her own flames. It would almost have been easier, she thought, if she were able to still feel those emotions, that they might help to ground her in the present _._ She took a deep breath. _At least Shoto and his siblings are safe. I must focus on the positive._

"We have been much more vigilant in the last week, with both police patrols and pro hero surveillance. There have been no new reports of any significant crime, especially with Stain in custody. His interrogations will proceed within the Tartarus specialised prison complex." One of the government officials looked down at his notes as he spoke. "That being said, the issue of security going forwards is still unresolved."

"Yes, regarding that," Nezu tapped his pencil on the table. "The UA board and I have come up with a proposal to help optimise the safety of our students. With the villains' apparent motive of striking fear in our hearts, we have to demonstrate that UA, and all of the pro heroes that stand behind it, are dedicated to protecting our society. While we always do our utmost to survey and attend to civilian issues, I would like to present the next step in keeping the children safe." He clicked a remote that was sitting beside the conference table, and the projector on the far wall flickered to life. Rows of what appeared to be apartment complexes, within one large compound, appeared on the screen. "I present to you _Heights Alliance —_ a state-of-the art dormitory system that we have had built practically overnight! The security system reflects the gate perimeter that we had around the main UA campus, featuring Quirk-repressing technology that prevents portal users from entering or leaving, while still allowing those within the barrier to use their abilities as usual."

"So you're proposing that we move _all_ of your student body into a dorm system?" Gang Orca narrowed his eyes. "I have a suspicion that many of the parents will not be pleased with the idea."

"I also have concerns that ought to be voiced," Kaida spoke up, watching at the images of the fancy buildings as they flipped past. "While I understand that there is… not much of an alternative for myself but to live under UA's guard, I feel that my presence is a liability to the safety of the others, if we were all to live in one place."

"Tamashini," Endeavor responded immediately. "The UA all-dorm system is your best bet at safety and continuing a semblance of a normal life. By opening the opportunity to your classmates and peers, we are sending a message that as a society, our sense of community will not be shaken by the villains' acts of terrorism."

"Right, exactly!" The principal nodded. "And all this on the table, we will definitely allow the students and their families to consider the dormitories an _elective_ move; if there are parents who would feel better keeping their children close, we will not impose on their wishes."

While the others around their table murmured their agreement, Kaida sank back into her chair. She wrestled with the heavy feeling in her gut, closing her eyes. _Endeavor is right; an offer to build community sends a strong message of hope. But at the same time… All for One, Shigaraki, Erebus;_ their _message has already been sent, and no matter how much I wish to deny it, it has been received._

" ** _...hold on to hope, child."_**

She didn't bother to give Elysium a reply, turning her attention back to the discussions as they continued.

"Alright, then!" Nezu clapped his paws together. "We will send out notice and invitation to the students and their parents today, and schedule move-in day to occur this weekend, before classes reopen on the following Monday."

* * *

 **—Shigaraki—**

It was drab and dark, but it was home. In the room behind the saloon that served as the League's meeting place and hideout, Tomura surrounded himself with his multi-monitor setup, a glass of soda, and a cold cheeseburger. The sound of his gloved fingers tapping away at his keyboard was dull and muffled, quiet by comparison to the hydraulic hissing coming from the far end of the room. There was a clatter from the corner, and Tomura paused, swiveling his chair around.

"Master… do you need help?" He scratched at the dry skin on his face. The gloves were an inconvenience, but a necessity – many a good piece of furniture met its end with careless handling of his Quirk.

"No, child; I'm quite alright. And just about ready to go." A man stepped into the light, adjusting the ventilator around his neck. To most, his appearance would come off as gruesome – even fearsome, perhaps. But beneath the melted features on the upper half of the man's face, he offered Tomura an amiable smile, before clipping his mask over his mouth.

To the rest of society, All for One was the most abominable of monsters. But to Tomura Shigaraki, All for One was his guardian, his champion — his hero.

"Go? Where?" He stood, ruffling through the limp strands of his blue bangs.

"For a walk. Carry this for me, would you?" All for One placed the orb in Tomura's hands.

He looked at it in wonder: the Penumbra Sphere. It was roughly the size and shape of a bowling ball, but weighed almost nothing. Beneath its glassy surface, a helicoid of shadows and dark stars swam about, defying color and light. As Tomura cradled it in his gloved hands, he heard a low rumbling in his mind, the heavy breathing of a large beast.

"Erebus is resting," All for One said, "but we may borrow its power nonetheless. Come, let's stretch our legs a bit." As he waved one hand over the Sphere, the walls melted away into mists around them. Instead of the cityscape outside, a single long path of meandering cobblestone stretched out before them, lined with dark trees bearing a myriad of purple and red flowers. Their scent was neither sweet nor putrid, but hit Tomura's nose with so many different hints of smells that he didn't quite have a name for the aroma. _If it is this overpowering for me, surely Master with his heightened senses is far more affected?_

"It is beautiful, is it not?" All for One murmured, placing a hand on Tomura's shoulder as they started to walk. There was no visible destination in sight, but the empty road was strangely compelling. "This is a hint of what Erebus's world once was… and even now, as a shade of its former glory, we may bear witness to the allure of sensory entropy, atmospheric vacancy. It is here that I often walk in my dreams."

"So why have you brought me along today?" Though he didn't mean it as such, Tomura's tone came across with a hint of boredom. Truthfully, it was a rare occurence to be allowed unallocated time with his master. "Is there an occasion?"

"Hm." The man folded his hands behind his back, his footsteps remarkably light on the stone path. "You have been on my mind greatly as of late. There is one thing I wish to ask you, Tomura… what is it that you truly seek, in the promise of a new world?"

"A more just society," Tomura replied instantly, the answer rolling off his tongue with little moderation. "A world where people like us are not frowned upon and scorned. A place where I can be proud of my family, instead of living in… in disdain and _wretchedness_ in the wake of the Shimura family name."

"Nana Shimura was a strong and brave woman. But she was wrong to turn her back on you."

"And I also desire to be able to serve you in the new age, Master," Tomura added, glazing over All for One's comment. "The existence you've allowed me is a debt that I want to repay for the rest of my life."

"Ah. You mustn't think of it as such, child." All for One seemed to laugh. "I do not wish for you to feel indebted to me in any way, like the others who follow the path we pave. I ask only that you leave behind the 'wretchedness' of your past that you may live a new life."

"Am I not already doing so?" Tomura frowned. "Is this about Hosu? Are you displeased with how I dealt with the girl?"

"Displeased is not the word for it. 'Concerned,' perhaps." A flicker of irritation pricked at Tomura. He habitually scratched at his neck again. All for One continued,

"By the way you speak and carry yourself, I worry that sometimes the greater message of our mission is lost on you. Yet that is not a credo that I can impart unto you myself… it is a worldview and mindset that you must come upon on your own."

"How?" The path continued on and on. The landscape did not change or wane, even as they seemed to walk a great distance.

All for One pointed at the orb in Tomura's hands. "Take some time in the following days to attune yourself more to our... patron. It speaks in ways other than the voice you have heard aloud, if you learn to listen properly."

Tomura turned the Sphere around doubtfully. "I can try, I suppose. If it'll satisfy you, that is."

All for One chuckled. "It would, my child. It would."

* * *

— **Midoriya—**

Izuku's phone was already exploding with messages from his mother by the time they arrived at the Heights Alliance compound.

 _"Don't forget to eat properly!"_ _  
_ _"And make sure you do your laundry!"_ _  
_ _"And make sure Kacchan does his laundry too!"_

He typed out a reassuring reply as the car rolled to a halt, and he sighed. _What a long day…_ At times, he was almost convinced that his mother wasn't going to let him go after all. The driver turned off the engine and popped the door open, letting Izuku out. He rubbed his eyes tiredly, but when he looked up, Izuku gaped at the grandeur of the building before him.

There was an embossed sign over the front entrance that read "1-A," with the buildings surrounding it labeled similarly with each class's designation. The grass on the lawn was neatly-cut, fluffy and welcoming; likely groomed by someone with a plant-user Quirk. Izuku stepped out of the van, jaw still hanging open.

"Midoriya-san," the driver cleared his throat politely. "Shall I help you bring your belongings in?"

Izuku jumped slightly. "Ah – yes, please."

Katsuki had been correct in his earlier assumption that everyone else had already finished moving in, with Izuku taking the entirety of the day to pack his things for the move. When he entered his class's dorm, he saw many of his classmates scattered around the common area. Uraraka waved wildly when she saw him come in.

"Hey, Deku-kun!"

At her greeting, the others looked up, eager to receive him as well. Izuku looked around, surprised at how many of them there were. _Huh?_ he did a quick headcount.

"Wait," he said aloud. "Is this _everyone?_ "

"Yep, ribbit," Tsuyu nodded, tipping her head. "Is that surprising?"

"Well, yeah," Izuku admitted, but smiled. "I didn't think everyone's parents would be willing to go along with this system. Even my mom was a little hesitant, to say the least."

"Oh, totally," Jiro nodded sympathetically. "My dad was a _wreck_. But my mom was all 'it's the spirit of UA! Together-we-stand! Plus Ultra!' and he's a total softie at heart, sooooo…"

"And, importantly," Iida spoke up, "everyone being here is an exemplary display of Class 1-A's teamwork and unity. Not all of the other homerooms are this put-together! But with you, Midoriya; as well as Todoroki-kun and Tamashini-chan, I believe that we have the most honorable cast to rise up to."

"Aw, take it down a notch," Mineta grumbled, kicking Iida in the shin. "We already talked about not being so uptight, remember?"

"Oh, speaking of which!" Uraraka piped up, hopping up and down. "Once you've gotten your things up to your room, make sure you come meet all of us down here again," she glanced at the clock. "We're having an _official_ floor meeting at five, sharp."

"Uh, for what?" Izuku blinked.

"You'll see," Ashido grinned. "Sato, Ojiro, go help him out so he can make it back in time," she said bossily.

"Yeah, for sure," Ojiro said, waving his tail amicably. Sato grabbed the biggest of Izuku's suitcases.

"On it! C'mon, Midoriya – you don't wanna be late, the girls are gonna chew our heads off if we don't all make it down for what they have planned."

Izuku hurried along towards the elevators. There was a fuzzy warmth in his heart at seeing all his classmates together, whatever it was they had planned. As the three boys hauled Izuku's stuff up to their floor and into his room – which was _huge_ and _way nicer_ than he'd expected – Izuku felt his mood continuing to rise.

"Damn, you brought a lot of stuff," Sato stretched, kicking the suitcase he'd carried lightly.

"You're one to talk," Ojiro quipped. "You brought a whole damn kitchen, haha."

"It's essential for my Quirk!" Sato huffed.

* * *

 **Rikido Sato**

 **Quirk: Sugar Rush**

 **By ingesting sugar, he can increase his strength five-fold, for a limited amount of time. The more sugar he takes, the longer he's able to keep up his super-strength!**

* * *

"Uh-huh," Ojiro laughed.

"I'll unpack properly later," Izuku said. "Let's get going?"

"Yea," Sato nodded. They headed back out into the hall, and Izuku closed his door behind him. He turned towards the elevators, but Sato and Ojiro halted again, knocking on the door adjacent to Izuku's. "Oi! Todoroki!" Izuku tipped his head to look at the nameplate. He only had one neighbor, since his room was at the end of the hall, and surely enough, it was Todoroki.

The door opened. "What?" Todoroki blinked at his visitors. "Oh. Hi, Midoriya."

Sato peered over Todoroki's shoulder. "Are you just about finished?"

Todoroki nodded. "Yeah, I'm done. I was resting, though…"

"Done with what?" Izuku asked. Todoroki pushed his door open a bit further so that the other boys could see into the room. Izuku gawked again. He had been impressed with the simple furniture and hardwood floors in his room, but Todoroki's was nicely decorated and finished, even as far as having tatami mats. "Wha… how come your room is like this?"

"He installed it all himself," Ojiro explained.

"A-all just today?"

"I worked hard," Todoroki shrugged. "...can I go back to bed now?""

"Nah, the girls wanna do their _plan_ , remember?" Sato grinned. "And it's apparently some surprise for Tamashini-chan… you wouldn't want to miss out on that, would ya?"

 _A surprise for Kaida?_ Izuku wondered. _Hm… what could it be?_

Todoroki narrowed his eyes. "What are you implying…"

"Aw, don't play dumb," Sato laughed. "C'mon, get a move on."

Todoroki grumbled, but flipped the lights off and followed them downstairs.

Tsuyu, Uraraka, Ashido, Jiro, and Hagakure had assembled all the other boys around the big table in the lounge. Pieces of colourful square paper were scattered across the table, while Iida sat in one of the big lounge chairs, a sewing kit in his lap. "So, what's going on?" Izuku asked. He caught sight of Katsuki, who was scowling at the end of the couch beside Kirishima, clearly less than thrilled about being roped in.

"Okay, okay, so…!" Uraraka pulled Izuku over, plopping him down on a cushion by the table. "Mr. Aizawa has Tamashini-chan out on a shopping trip right now, cuz she needs more clothes and stuff."

"Yeah, cuz her house uhhh... blew up. Ribbit."

"Yes, that," Uraraka said, waving her hand at Tsuyu. "But while she's gone, we thought it would be a nice idea to make some room decorations for her! I asked Hagane-kun what she likes — oh, yeah, he and I are friends now, since the internships! — and he said that she's really into origami."

"Oh, neat," Izuku smiled. _Wow… they really care,_ he realised.

"The fuck if I know how to fold paper cranes," Katsuki complained. "Do we really _all_ have to do this?"

"Yes," Hagakure tossed him a pile of red-and-white papers. "Now hurry up, before she gets back, okay?"

* * *

— **Tamashini—**

Evening arrived. Kaida yawned as she and Kaiketsu got out of the car.

"Take your bags," Mr. Aizawa said gruffly.

"I got it," Kaiketsu reached into the trunk and pulled their day's haul out.

Kaida took a couple of parcels herself. "Thanks again," she said quietly, nodding to both Kaiketsu and her teacher. "For escorting me today."

"Sure. Certainly." Aizawa nodded, and started to walk off. "I'm hungry. I'll see you kids in the mess hall."

"I'm helping you carry your stuff in," Kaiketsu declared, and marched down the path to 1-A's building.

"Okay…" she didn't really have the energy to protest. She used to love shopping trips – a day out at the mall would be the highlight of a weekend, even though Kaiketsu always hounded her to not buy unnecessary things. But now, when she had actual reason to restock on the essentials, she couldn't find the spirit to take joy in their expedition. She sighed, hefting her bags off the sidewalk and trailing behind her friend.

Kaida still felt guilty about having avoided those who'd reached out to her over the past week, but started off with reconnecting with her childhood friend – even if it was through enforced circumstance. Kaiketsu was practically waiting for her at Heights Alliance by the time she'd moved in, and he'd been keeping an eye on her at every possible moment.

Kaiketsu paused outside the glass door, glancing through the large window to the common area. "Looks like a party."

"I can carry this on my own," Kaida said. "If you don't want to come in and get caught up in… whatever's going on."

"Your classmates are so much more rowdy than mine," Kaiketsu muttered, turning away from the hubbub to face Kaida. "Other than Monoma-loud-mouth, everyone's so damn chill. But yeah. I'll see you around." He patted her on the head and stuffed his hands into the pockets of his green hoodie, heading off.

Kaida sighed, shouldering her shopping bags and scanning her ID on the receiver to get the automatic doors open. She grimaced at the loud beep, and felt the attention of everyone gathered in the common area turn to her as she entered the foyer.

"Tamashini-chan~! Come here for a sec!" Uraraka waved her over.

Kaida hesitated. She caught sight of Izuku sitting cross-legged on the floor, sending a reassuring smile her way. Shoto was there, too, watching her pensively. She felt the guilt returning and averted her eyes. _Why are they all gathered in the lounge?_

"So, what's going on?" She walked over, trying to summon up a smile.

There was a considerable rustling of papers, and Iida stood up, proudly presenting two long wooden rods. Dangling from each were twenty strings, woven together in pretty silver-and-blue patterns, and on each string floated a row of origami cranes.

"Welcome home, Kaida!" The class representative bowed deeply, and the others echoed his greeting.

Kaida felt a lump rise in her throat. "H… home?"

"We made these for you," Iida explained.

" _All_ of us," Bakugo muttered. "Mine are the really lopsided ones."

Kaida set her bags down and took the two rods from Iida, her hands trembling slightly as she her fingers lightly through the garlands of paper birds. She felt her eyes brimming with tears.

 _Oh…_ she looked around, and saw all nineteen of her classmates standing or sitting before her. "You… you all came," she blinked.

"We're gonna support you," Uraraka threw her arm around Kaida's shoulders, and the other girls gathered around. "…You've been through a lot lately, because of who you are – but we all want you to know that even though not all of us may be as strong as you, we have your back."

"You don't have to be scared…" Izuku added. "Because we're all gonna look after each other."

Kaida broke into a smile, laughing and crying at the same time. "Everyone… thank you," she managed, humbled beyond any further words. She felt so much warmth from all the people in the room with her; all her classmates who had almost seemed so far away not so long ago.

 _Is it… is it really okay? To accept a new family?_

" ** _Family is more than just blood,"_** Elysium murmured.

For once, Kaida didn't pull away at the dragon adding its reply to her thoughts. She returned Uraraka's hug, and her smile lingered.

* * *

That evening, she sat back on her bed, a new copy of one of her favorite books resting in her lap. She'd let her classmates help her hang up the cranes in her room, and overcame enough of her social withdrawal to even let the girls peruse her closet and pass judgment on her new clothes. But when her classmates went off to eat dinner, she lingered behind. Eventually she heard them come back from the mess hall, and the sound of footsteps running up and down the hallways as people showcased their rooms to one another. As the night drew on, "g _ood-night's"_ were shouted from her neighbouring doors, and quiet began to settle over the building.

She looked out her window, past the balcony and at the quad beyond. In the nighttime haze, the white lamp-posts blinked at her, ringed by small halos. Her phone chimed, off of silent mode for the first time in over a week, and she leaned over to her bedside table to pick it up. Kaiketsu's little profile picture glared at her accusingly from beside the _new message_ notification.

" _Didn't see you at dinner."_

Kaida replied, _"Yeah, wasn't hungry."_

Her message was "read" almost instantly, and Kaiketsu fired a reply back. _"Yeah, right. Go check the fridge in your dorm's kitchen downstairs and eat something, thanks."_

" _Hm?"_

Kaiketsu issued another three texts:

" _Your freakin' class pres chased me off while yelling something about curfew, but I brought you some udon."_ _  
_ _"I made it in our kitchenette lol"_ _  
_ _"These dorms are surprisingly well equipped, I was kinda impressed."_

He had her there. She hadn't had her favorite meal in a long time, and she knew from experience that Kaiketsu's home-cooking was the real deal.

" _Oh also, Tetsutetsu mooched some of the soup, so if it's a little dry it's because he scooped himself a bowl of broth when I wasn't looking."_ He added an eye-roll emote.

" _Well, if your classmates are stealing it, then it must be *really* good."_ Kaida replied.  
 _"Thanks. You didn't have to, you know."_

" _Oh whatever. Stop that."_ _  
_ _"Goodnight."_

Kaiketsu's online status dot turned from green to grey, and Kaida sighed again. She closed their chat, and lingered for a moment on her messaging app. She had finally made a point of replying to almost all the unread messages from before, even carrying on a conversation for a bit with Midoriya, but there was one message thread that still sat there, unattended.

 _"Sorry for texting so often. My dad said that you're doing okay, that's all I really wanted to know about. I'm here, whenever."_

Shoto's contact profile picture was a candid shot that she'd snapped of him one day at lunch, as he was just starting to glance up, unamused, with a bit of seaweed stuck to his chopsticks. Kaida ran her thumb over the tiny photo, her other hand hovering over the keyboard. But her stomach rumbled, so she shoved her phone in her pocket, fetched her slippers, and headed downstairs.

* * *

— **Todoroki—**

Shoto had his lights of, but he laid wide awake, staring up at the ceiling. He rubbed his feet on the foot of his futon, tucking and untucking the blankets as he mentally kicked himself.

 _I should've gone to check on her after dinner. Or maybe I should've just texted again. No, that's too bothersome…_ He put a pillow over his head, stifling his scowl. This wasn't the first time he'd lost sleep over worrying about her, and he had a feeling it certainly wouldn't be the last. But now she was literally under the same roof as him, and he hadn't taken the opportunity to approach her. _Well, she seemed to be crowded enough, with everything going on this afternoon,_ he reasoned.

He glanced at the clock. _1:00 AM?_ He winced. Classes were set to start again the next day, in less than seven hours. _I need something to drink._ Shoto rubbed his eyes tiredly, and plodded out of his room, bare-footed.

The hallway lights were almost uncomfortably bright, in comparison to his room and the darkened common area on the first floor. He flipped on the kitchen's lightswitch, accidentally hitting the sink's garbage disposal switch and jumping slightly as it roared to life before he quickly deactivated it. Grumbling to himself, he opened the cabinets, rooting around for a glass to pour himself some water.

Shoto noticed a single bowl and pair of chopsticks resting on the drying rack by the sink. There was a bit of water still dripping off of the edge of the bowl, indicating that it had been washed fairly recently. He looked around. The ground floor was dark, the only light being the kitchen light he'd turned on and the outside lamps casting their glow through the windows. Then he caught sight of her silhouette, perched up in one of the alcoves along the wall, leaning against the glass. She swung her legs idly, twining a strand of her long hair between her fingers and she stared out at the night.

"Kaida?"

She looked over, surprised to hear her name called. "Oh. I thought you were Kaminari… he kept coming down to get snacks every half hour until a bit ago. He's probably asleep now, though." She tucked her knees up to her chest.

"What about you, what're you doing down here so late?" He walked over to her, almost cautiously, as if he was concerned she'd get up and leave if he moved too quickly.

"I don't sleep much these days," Kaida murmured. "Dreams ridden with nightmares are comparatively less restful than sleepless nights. But I came down for a change of scenery."

"Ah, I see."

She laughed softly. "I thought I would have a harder time just talking to you again," she admitted. "But it comes so naturally. I'm… I'm sorry that I've been so distant."

Shoto set his glass down and sat down next to her. _I've missed you,_ he thought, but withheld the words. "I'm just glad to see you doing a bit better than back then," he said. "But I didn't want to intrude farther than I was welcome."

"No, no; it's not that you're unwelcome," Kaida shook her head. "I had a lot to sort out. And I had this fear that… that you and everyone else would distance yourselves, after what happened to my father and what I did in Hosu, going berserk like that."

"Don't be ridiculous," Shoto frowned. "...do you really think I'm that shallow or easily scared off?"

She cracked a smile. "I suppose not." She rested her head against the window again, looking at the grass outside pensively. "I… I don't really know where we stand, but I do care for you. Very much. I'm just unsure how to express it, and unsure how welcome these feelings may be…"

As she continued to stare outside, he looked at her in profile. He saw her eyes flicker to his in the reflection in the window. "Kaida," he reached out and turned her towards him. She blinked. "It's new to me too, but I assure you that whatever you need me to be for you, I'll do my best to provide. Everyone else made that pretty clear through their actions today, so I hope my sentiment isn't just lost in the hubbub of this new family unit."

Her blue eyes swam with emotion as she looked into his, suddenly startlingly close. "What if… I want you to be more than what the others are?"

"If you would allow me that, I…" he drifted closer in response, trailing off. The tiny distance between them was a delicate mirror, reflecting a moment captured apart from the former days of silence. In the hush of night, he feared that if he'd continued to speak, the words would have come out deafeningly loud, shattering the glass and sending her racing away, far away from him, far out of reach. Then she shut her eyes, and before the movement could even register, she tipped his chin up and touched her lips to his.

Shoto's eyes widened, but he didn't pull away even as his heart quickened. It was over almost as soon as she had initiated it, and Kaida started to shy away, her sweet scent drifting with her. He caught her hand before she could move, sliding the rest of the way along the ledge to her side. "You're just going to steal one and run away?"

"Would that be unreasonable of me?"

"Yes," Shoto steeled his courage, and tipped his head to kiss her again. She closed her eyes, her shoulders releasing a bit of their tension as she sank into his embrace, even though they were both a bit awkward and clumsy. _Her first kiss, too?_ She had the slight taste of a floral tea on her lips, a memento of the empty mug on the table before her.

When he pulled back, she buried her head in his shoulder, hiding her embarrassed blush. He couldn't help but smile, and wrapped his arm around her, leaning his head on top of hers. Like the first time he'd held her, she felt so small and frail in his arms, but her warmth and softness touched him to his very core.

"Now that's sorted out, said, and done," he murmured after a while, "you can't keep up the insomnia forever. Let me walk you back to your room."

"...Okay," Kaida said, reluctantly. She hovered close to his side as they made their way upstairs to the third floor. They stopped outside Kaida's room.

"Huh, you're right above mine," Shoto commented, tapping lightly on the number plate by the door. "302, I'm 202. You can knock on the floor if you need to reach me," he joked.

Kaida paused with her hand on the doorknob. "Will you… will you come in, for a bit? I know it may be a bit inappropriate of me to ask, but I just… I would appreciate the company."

"I don't think either of us are the type to make it an inappropriate situation," Shoto blinked stoically. "Unless you w—"

She flicked his cheek, frowning. "Ha, ha." she muttered, and stomped into her room. It was relatively plain inside, but noticeably larger than his room or the others Shoto had seen – in theory, he thought, this made sense, since there were more boys than girls in their class, the floor layout could have more spacious rooms on the girls' floor. The two curtains of paper cranes hung by the window, casting little silhouettes across the floor. Kaida glanced at her clock as she passed her bedside table. "Oh. I didn't realise the hour. I'm sorry to be keeping you up so late."

"No, it's okay, really." Shoto shook his head. "I wasn't very sleepy, myself."

"Well," Kaida put her slippers under the bed, and perched on the edge, hugging her legs to her chest again and burying her chin in her knees. "You can — you can sit down, if you'd like," she patted the spot next to her, scooting the pillows aside.

"Here," Shoto slid across and propped himself up against the headboard. "You lie down. I'll stay here until you're sleeping soundly, okay?"

Kaida obligingly curled up onto her side. "What if I can't fall asleep?"

"Then I suppose I'm sticking around," Shoto brushed her hair out of her face. "Don't worry about me, I do decently on few hours of sleep."

"Okay…" Kaida's eyes slid shut, wearily. She rested her head on the side of his leg. "If you say so… goodnight."

"Goodnight, Kaida."

He rested one hand on her back, pillowing his other arm against the wall. Although his heart surged with emotions, there was a quiet peace to the moment that assuaged him and wrapped him up in solace. He watched her face, turned towards him in profile, slowly soften as she fell under the respite of sleep. Relaxed and unguarded, her face bore no trace of the pain that she worked so hard to hide, and her features professed only her delicate beauty.

Shoto bore his fair share of traumas and tribulations, but Kaida had shown him that he didn't need to be defined by them. She couldn't erase his troubled past, but she brought healing to his scars and resplendence to his disquieted mind. In the midst of the chaos of the world, fate had deigned to bring them together, in the halls of UA, to the intimate quiet of that night, in room 302. He leaned over and hesitated, then kissed the top of her head. His bangs brushed against her forehead softly, and her eyelids fluttered. Without waking fully, she sidled closer to him, her fingers curling around the hem of his t-shirt.

Shoto sank back onto the pillow she'd left beside her, and laced his fingers with hers. Listening to her quiet, even breaths, the thought of remembering to leave drifted away, and he fell asleep beside her.

* * *

Shoto woke up at the crack of dawn. Kaida was still asleep, in the exact same position as she'd been in the a few hours before. He blinked and looked around, suddenly remembering where he was.

 _Oh, right._ His cheeks reddened slightly in the dark, and he quietly scooted off the bed. _I should get back to my room before anyone else wakes up…_ He glanced at the balcony. _I'll just climb down from there, that way I don't run the risk of catching anyone in the hallways._

He slid the glass balcony door open and closed as quietly as possible, disturbing the paper cranes ever-so-slightly. The terrace was cold on his bare feet, and he shivered a bit as he swung his legs over the railing, giving himself a small ladder of ice to slide down to his own room. When he touched down on his balcony, he reached out with his left hand and melted down the ice ladder.

There was a loud shuffle and clank from the room to his left, and Shoto blinked as Izuku's balcony door was flung open unconcernedly. To Shoto's great surprise, Bakugo came tramping out, blearily rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. He caught sight of Shoto and his eyebrow twitched.

"The fuck are you staring at, huh?" He growled. Without much warning, he climbed up on the railing and vaulted over to Shoto's balcony, before starting to clamber over to his own room, the next one over. He stopped short when his foot splashed in the small puddle left by the ice ladder.

Bakugo looked up at Kaida's balcony, then at Shoto. They blinked at each other, before Bakugo grabbed Shoto by the front of his t-shirt. "Alright, _not a damn word,_ ya hear? You don't snitch and I won't snitch," he said, threateningly close.

"Sure." Shoto blinked again, still a bit baffled. "I uh… had no idea that you and Midoriya—"

" _Not a damn word!"_ Bakugo yelled.

Shoto winced, looking around. "You're going to wake someone up…"

"Whatever!" Bakugo grumbled, hopping over to his room and throwing the sliding door open. "I'm going to sleep for another hour. Good fucking night… morning… WHATEVER."

* * *

 ** _Next Chapter: Assessment_**


	11. XI: Assessment

**AN: Hi! So sorry for forgetting to post here on Monday! It's been a crazy week with exams and final projects. Thanks for bearing with me if you're still around; don't forget to drop me a review or comment!**

* * *

 **Chapter Eleven: Assessment**

* * *

 **—** **Tamashini—**

The training room smelled of cleaning products and musty air conditioning. Kaida pulled away the stray strands of hair that had escaped her ponytail, wiping away the sweat on her forehead. She sat upright, and rolled off of the weight bench. "Okay, your turn."

Kaiketsu lifted a bushy eyebrow. "You know, I don't really see how weightlifting is the most effective thing for you, in terms of an exercise regimen."

"I'm tired of just sparring," Kaida flapped her hand. "And I'm always worried that one of these days my blades will end up hurting you."

"Well, you haven't even dented my steel yet. And that stuff is good for me to hone the forging part of my Quirk. I don't get burned as often now, have you noticed?" He said, with a badly-suppressed hint of pride. Kaida laughed.

"Of course. You've been improving in huge strides with your Quirk control lately. And I think you've pretty significantly bulked up since the start of the school year, especially after your internship." She poked Kaiketsu's bicep with one finger.

"Uh," his cheeks reddened a bit, and he rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Yeah, I guess so. Although Uraraka made so much more progress while we were with Gunhead — I didn't expect so much athleticism from such a small girl."

"What do you mean? _I'm_ 'small,' but plenty athletic," Kaida frowned, pouting.

"Yeah," Kaiketsu chuckled, his jaw squeaking. Kaida punched his shoulder. "Ow."

"Don't 'ow' so patronizingly!" She protested, curling her hand into a fist again.

"Okay, okay!" He lifted his hands in defeat and sat himself down on the weight bench. "Let's finish up here, I want to make sure that we make it back in time to clean up before dinner."

With a sigh, Kaida stood at the head of the bench, bending slightly so she could look down at Kaiketsu. Her ponytail fell over her shoulder, and he blew a puff of air to get it away from his face. "You suck at spotting."

"I could ditch you," Kaida offered. "Shut up and lift, you dork." She loaded another fifty kilograms onto either side of the barbel. Muttering something indistinguishable under his breath, Kaiketsu grunted, and hoisted the bar up.

"So," he said, between lifts, "how did your written exam go?"

"We haven't gotten our grades back yet," Kaida replied. "Aizawa is a bit of an apathetic grader; he takes his time. But I'm not concerned. I studied a lot with my dorm-mates, and the exam itself was almost menial with that preparation. What about you?"

"Eh, good enough to be allowed to go to the summer camp. I can almost guarantee that I'll pull better results on the practical, though."

The time had gone by in what seemed like less and less time each week, after moving into the dorms. Days blurred together in the soothing rhythm of everyday life, and slipping into a new routine had been much easier than she'd expected. Before Kaida knew it, the semester was coming to an end, and exam season had landed with the arrival of summer.

Despite her friends and classmates' concerns for her well-being and emotional state, Kaida was doing surprisingly well. By day, she made a point to spend time out in the common areas, and frequented the training facilities with Kaiketsu. And by night, Shoto would sneak in and out of her dorm room, to chase away the nightmares and keep her company through the sleepless midnight hours.

Kaida felt a warmth in her chest as she thought of Shoto. He'd changed a lot from the cold, stoic boy she met on the first day of school, and Kaida knew that she had played an important role in that change. She could see it in his eyes when he looked up at her across the lunch table, or from the shadows cast by the silvered moonlight that streamed in through her windows at night. There was a soft kindness in his eyes that wasn't there before, a layer behind his typically stoic exterior that unravelled only for her. After she'd gone with him one weekend to meet his mother, Kaida saw that the soft, loving look was undeniably something he'd inherited from Rei — but it reflected in both of his eyes, grey and blue.

 _'_ _Loving?'_ Kaida blinked, pausing in her thoughts. _How… presumptuous of me, to entertain such a thought._ She felt her cheeks redden slightly.

 ** _"_** ** _There's no need to trivialize either of your feelings, simply on the basis of your unfamiliarity with this kind of love."_**

 _...Elysium, are you seriously giving me relationship advice?_

She heard the dragon's amused, rumbling laughter in her mind, and realised that she was being _teased_. Mocked, even.

 ** _"_** ** _I do savor the joy of watching the troubled minds of youth. Believe me, child; your ancestors all went through the same sort of—"_**

 _I don't want to hear about my ancestors' adolescent misadventures, thank you very much._ Kaida grimaced.

"Hellooooooo," a hand waved in front of her face, and she started. Kaiketsu had gotten up, and was standing in front of her. "Knockin on the dragon's door here; earth to Kaida?"

"Ah, sorry, were you saying something?" Kaida shook herself, chasing Elysium to the back of her mind.

"You has this weird face and then you started blushing, and then totally zoned out and got that weird dragon-y look in your eyes," Kaiketsu frowned. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, yes, everything's fine," Kaida smiled, a bit embarrassed. "You're finished here, then? Shall we go get ready for dinner?"

Kaiketsu gave her an unconvinced stare, his orange eyes squinting. He opened his mouth to say something, but then clicked it shut loudly.

"Sure. Let's go; I'm getting hungry anyway."

* * *

 **—** **Midoriya—**

Izuku shuffled his feet nervously, his red sneakers squeaking on the tiled floor. Todoroki's eyebrow twitched.

"...Midoriya. _Please_ stop fidgeting."

"Uh, sorry," Izuku crossed his ankles under his seat, ducking his head. "I'm antsy, is all. Why do you think they called the three of us back to the station? We already got chewed out right after Hosu for doing stuff without legal hero status, and it's the middle of exam week, so it seems kind of a strange time to ask us to come out to a meeting on such an impromptu basis." He twiddled his toes in his shoes.

"Whatever it is, we're about to find out," Todoroki tipped his head towards the window of the meeting-room, where four men and one small figure were making their way towards the door. He frowned at the sight of his father amongst them.

When the door opened, Izuku also saw Aizawa and Nezu, who were accompanied by a dreary-looking man with beige hair and tired eyes, wearing an unkempt suit. The fourth man was tall, middle-aged, and dressed in the local police uniform.

The boys stood politely as the adults entered the room, but Nezu waved his paw at them casually. "Good afternoon, young men! There's no need for such formalities. Please, take a seat." Izuku saw Shoto exchange a look with Endeavor, and the boy did not take his eyes off of his father even as they all sat back down.

Principal Nezu was all smiles. "Eraser, would you like to get us started?"

"Eh?" Aizawa twitched slightly, as if he'd been half-asleep. "I don't have much to say, though. You two did well on the written portion of your exams – good job. Don't mess up the practical."

 _...Surely we weren't called here just to discuss exam scores?_ Izuku puzzled.

"Well, that's not the main point, though," the principal laughed, patting Aizawa's elbow. Nezu twinged his whiskers. "But the offer that is to be made today _is_ contingent on a passing overall grade for the semester. Here: please take these, if you would!" Hopping up onto a chair so that he could reach across the table, Nezu handed a manilla envelope to each of the boys.

The room filled with the sound of ripping paper as they opened their envelopes. Izuku peered inside, and slid out a single sheet of laminated paper. At the top, it read:

 **CERTIFICATE OF RECOMMENDATION: IZUKU MIDORIYA**

Before Izuku could start reading the several blocks of fine print below the header, Nezu was continuing,

"With these, you will be entitled to take the Provisional Hero License exam, even as first-years. I have procured for you the three necessary signatures: one from a hero-course teacher, a pro-hero, and a valid representative of the community who can vouch for your acts of service." He pointed a paw at Aizawa, Endeavor, and the stranger in the police uniform, each in turn.

The latter bowed his head. "We have not met in person before, but my name is Naomasa Tsukauchi. I am the head detective in the Hero Killer case – and I am aware that Stain's capture is as a result of your actions."

"Hold on a minute..." Izuku furrowed his brow. "I thought that we were in _trouble_ for acting in the Hosu incident while not under the supervision of a pro hero… what changed?"

"As far as I see it," Endeavor grunted, his moustache flickering, "you were merely aiding my son in combat, when you all happened to get mixed up together. And he had my permission to engage the Nomu monsters; what happened with Stain was an unexpected _side-quest_ , but one that you both handled admirably."

 _But that isn't entirely true..._ Izuku thought to himself. _Todoroki-kun was the one lending his help to Iida and I, not the other way around…_

Noting the boys' tension, Tsukauchi spoke up again. "Additionally, the interrogations on Stain himself have been completed. While I cannot disclose the full findings to you as of yet; it is clear that we live in a society where there are far greater evils at work than villains who commit petty crimes. The villain All for One is still at large – but there is evidence that points towards the possibility that he serves an even greater evil, the same evil that Stain worshipped so fervently that it led him to such madness."

 _The chaos dragon, Erebus._ Izuku frowned. He remembered Gran Torino's retelling of All for One's history. _But not everything he told me is publicly-known knowledge._

"With the large-scale attacks just this year, these abnormal times call for abnormal measures." Endeavor said solemnly. "In this case, the world needs more heroes. As society's current number-one hero… it was my suggestion that we start grooming the forerunners of each batch of budding heroes, especially from our country's premier institutions, to act on their own judgment."

"And _legally,_ " the principal concluded, "that requires a hero license. Following the results of the practical exam, we will look into allowing other students to take the provisional exam as well, but only if they will be similarly backed by a pro hero and another community member. This will be very much determined by the results of their internships, I imagine."

"I have a request." All eyes turned to Todoroki as the he spoke up, his words filling the silence left at the end of the adults' speech. "Perhaps I'm not in a place to be making such demands… but I think the opportunity ought to be made available to more students rather than an elite few." He met his father's eyes boldly. Sitting to Todoroki's right-hand side, Izuku could see the glint of cold steel in the one grey eye, offering a challenge. "If you truly mean what you said about the world needing more heroes, can you really afford to be denying the opportunity to individuals on a single-recommendation basis?"

Endeavor matched his son's countenance, but nodded in acknowledgement at Shoto's words. "I will consider it. If there are exemplary students who perhaps did not have the best relationship with their internship provider… I will back them."

Izuku looked between the two in surprise. _I thought that their relationship was… far from amicable? But Endeavor seemed to really take what Todoroki-kun said to heart, pretty immediately…_ Peering sideways at his classmate's face, Izuku thought he saw a degree of surprise at Endeavor's response there as well. Izuku wondered at the exchange for a moment, but then pressed his lips into a straight line. He had his own disquieted thoughts to duel with.

* * *

 _Two days later_

"Eh?" Katsuki bounced a ball off of Izuku's wall. It was just past the midnight hour, and the two of them were seated on Izuku's bed, the curly-haired boy propped up against the wall while Katsuki leaned on one elbow, half across his partner's lap. "Don't tell me you're still doubting whether or not you want to get that provisional licence… I would've gone for it it for sure if all these damn adults didn't have a massive stick up their asses about my _attitude._ " He grumbled mockingly. "This is your chance, nerd. What happened to the 'I'm gonna surpass you, Kacchan!' attitude?" His imitation of Izuku was teasing, but not unkind. Nonetheless, Izuku's worried frown remained.

 _Thud. Thud. Thud._ Katsuki kept bouncing the ball. Izuku flinched slightly with each impact. "Aren't… aren't you worried about disturbing Todoroki-kun?"

"Nah," Katsuki caught the ball, rolling it between his fingers. "He's probably… elsewhere right now, anyway."

"Huh?"

"Don't… worry about it," Katsuki muttered. He whipped the ball at the wall again.

"No, what?"

Katsuki glanced sideways, then out the window, then at the ceiling, a bit nonsensically. Then he suddenly sat up, and grabbed Izuku by the front of his shirt. Izuku squeaked in surprise. "Speak a word of this and I'll end ya," he growled. "Cuz our… _secret_ , I guess — is on the line too."

"What are you _talking_ about, Kacchan?"

"Todoroki and Tamashini," the red eyes rolled in disdain. "Fuckin' lovebirds. Probably up to the same no good as we are. I ran into Icy-Hot the other morning on my way back to my room."

"WHAT?" Izuku turned tomato-red. "The same 'no good?'"

Katsuki shrugged, letting go of Izuku's shirt. "I made him promise to shut his mouth, or I'd start slandering both of them." He grinned. "And you and I both know that I'm pretty fuckin' good at dragging someone's name through the dirt." He sat up, sitting cross-legged in front of Izuku. "But what you need right now is some coaching up, not slandering… it ain't even just me. You've got Uraraka bein' your cheerleader too." He narrowed his eyes for a moment. " _Speaking_ of which… I respect the chick, but she was leaning in _awfully close_ during the practical exam…"

"Kacchan," Izuku suppressed a giggle, "we were teammates. We had to talk strategy, that's all. No need to be jealous."

Katsuki scoffed. "Jealous? Pah. I bet she doesn't even know you swing the other way." He suddenly grabbed Izuku by the chin and kissed him roughly, before pulling back and sitting on his heels again, leaving the green-haired boy with blazing red cheeks once more. "I know you're mine, I ain't _actually_ worried," he grumbled. "But anyway… back to my point.

"Don't worry about what happened in Hosu. I know you have your doubts, but I think your old man would be pretty damn proud at how you stepped up to help Half-n'-Half and Glasses. Being a hero is about initiative. And you've got a lot more of that than you give yourself credit for. I usually do the fuckin' work of appreciating it for both of us, but I'm not really all that explicit about it… so start keeping your chin up, and _definitely_ get your goddamn provisional license, ok?" He stared at Izuku piercingly, the emotion behind those red eyes barely veiled under the surface. _Showing that he cares in a very Kacchan-manner,_ Izuku thought. _Rarely overt about his feelings, but always to the point._ He found a smile surfacing.

"Okay. If you're by my side, I can do it."

"Good enough of an answer," Katsuki said gruffly, and ruffled Izuku's hair. "Now c'mon, let's get some dinner."

* * *

 **—** **Todoroki—**

Shoto drummed his fingers on the table, leaning back on his tatami flooring comfortably. He pushed his textbook and notebook aside, and looked over his shoulder to the digital clock that sat on his bedside table — **8:37 PM** . He'd done about an hour of studying after dinner; _good enough,_ he thought. He recalled Kaida chiding him for even studying at all:

 _"_ _Why, though? We're finished with exams and classes won't start again until after summer break?"_

He sighed. _I want to make sure I have everything in my head so it doesn't leak out over the summer._

His cell phone buzzed in his hoodie pocket, and he fished it out.

Kaida: _Are you coming downstairs?_

 _Oh, right._ He remembered that Ashido and Hagakure scheduled game night for their class at 9 PM. Shoto looked longingly at his futon. _It's too early to just go to bed…_ he sighed and shook his head. _Kaida's going to chew my head off if I don't show face, though._

With their classmates' many grand gestures of friendship and camaraderie, Kaida had opened up to them, little by little. Shoto was still the one that she wanted by her side during the long and difficult nights, but she'd made a point of trying to get the both of them to engage more often with their peers.

 _Except Hagane, who never seems to want to do things with all of us…_ Shoto stood up, dusting off the eraser dust from his pants and straightening his hoodie before heading out the door. _Eh, he probably just feels more comfortable around his own classmates._

Focusing on summoning up an attitude that masked his disinterest in socialising, while condemning away the idea of an early bedtime, he trotted down the stairwell and meandered to the gathering area on the ground floor. His classmates were chattering amongst themselves animatedly.

"Video games!" Kirishima was insisting, brandishing his Nintendo console. "I have a lot of great multiplayer games!"

"It's a school night!" Iida chopped his hand up and down. "Video games are too stimulating for the brain and ruin our circadian sleep patterns."

" _Risk!_ " Uraraka shook the massive board game box over her head.

"No one has time for that long-ass shit," Bakugo grumbled.

A few other students were also vouching for their individual suggestions, while Kaida, Tsuyu, Mineta, Kaminari, and Koda sat comfortably on the couches. Shoto made his way towards them, unnoticed by the collection of various game advocates. He caught on to the conversation:

"Ribbit. So you think you did well on your practical, Kaminari?" Tsuyu blinked her big eyes in a friendly manner.

"Ehhhh," the yellow-haired boy shrugged. "I _think_ so? Koda really surprised me with his use of his Quirk, though. If anything, he totally carried us through it!" Koda, silent as ever, gave a tiny, bashful smile.

 **Koji Koda** **Quirk: Anivoice** **  
He can speak to, command, and control any creature in the animal kingdom, even insects.**

"Speaking of being carried," Mineta chimed in, "I bet you guys all saw me and Kaida. Weren't we cool?"

Tsuyu sighed. "She literally did everything, ribbit."

"Yeah…" Kirishima snickered.

"Oh, shut up," Mineta grumbled. "I bet you're just jealous you didn't get to ride her," he muttered, a bit smugly. Kaida lifted her eyebrows. Tsuyu immediately slapped him across the back of the head with her long tongue, knocking him off the couch and away from Kaida, onto the floor. "Ow! You know what I mean! The dragon thing!"

"So don't say it in such a lewd way, then. _Ribbit._ " Tsuyu tutted.

Shoto took the opportunity to take Mineta's seat before the short boy could pick himself up off the ground. He purposefully slid over until he was right up against Kaida's side. "Hey." He brushed her hair off her cheek, glancing down at Mineta with a challenging stare.

"You showed up," Kaida smiled, with the sparkle in her eyes she reserved for him. "Hi." Even though Shoto had been the one to sidle up close, he found himself suddenly flushing with embarrassment as she held her gaze.

"Hey now, Todoroki," Mineta scowled. "No need to be all passive-aggressive-possessive…"

"Hmm… Ribbit." Tsuyu looked between Shoto and Kaida, Kaida and Shoto.

"He's standing up for what's his," Kaida shrugged, with a careless laugh. "Mineta _was_ erring on the side of being inappropriate."

 _What's mine?_ Shoto stiffened in surprise at her candid statement.

"So you're _seriously official,_ then? Nice." Kirishima nodded approvingly. From behind him, Bakugo slung his head back over his chair.

"...was it seriously not fuckin' obvious to you?"

"Obvious?" Kaida looked genuinely surprised. "What… do you mean?"

"You look at Half-n-Half like he's some kinda male deity," Bakugo snorted. Kaida's eyes widened further, her cheeks tingeing pink.

"I…? Oh," she managed.

Shoto couldn't help but laugh. "You seemed like you were outright owning it for a second there. Was that too much to hope for?" His voice came out with an unintentionally teasing note. _But it was kind of endearing…_

"Am – Am I supposed to be more… explicit?" Kaida was bright red by then. "What does that even mean?"

"Oh hell," Bakugo groaned. "No one wants to see that PDA shit."

"It's not like I come across as _unappreciative,_ right?" Kaida mumbled, ducking her head and taking a peek at Shoto from behind her ruffled hair. He tucked her unruly bangs behind her ear again, then tipped her chin up with one finger.

"It's alright," he assured her, seeing her troubled look. "You're doing everything right, don't worry." Her eyes softened, and she returned his warmth with a tentative smile. For a split second, he had the fleeting urge to kiss her then and there, right in front of everyone. That small smile was the only thing that mattered to him in the whole room.

But then, suddenly hyper-aware of all his classmates around him, Shoto cleared his throat and sat back on the couch, folding his hands in his lap. He wasn't _quite_ that bold. Not yet, at least.

* * *

 **—** **Tamashini—**

Kaida sat down between Endeavor and Aizawa, tucking her skirt neatly beneath her legs. She surveyed the massive enclosed arena before them, with its various terrain and the giant screens projected above it all, displaying multiple views of the area. There was a craggy field, a run-down building that lay partially on its side, surrounded by rubble, a factory-esque area with many silos and a complicated network of pipes and pathways, and a slimmed-down version of the city terrain present in UA's urban training quads. She folded her hands in her lap, letting out a tiny sigh. Endeavor cocked his eyebrow.

"What's the matter, Tamashini?"

"Oh… nothing much. I'm uncertain on how I feel about my exemption from this testing event."

Kaida had tagged along with her two classmates that qualified for the provisional licensing exam, with her mentor and her homeroom teacher. As always, Aizawa bore his stoic, disinterested expression, while Enji exuded his usual dominating presence. Also invited along, and contrasting with Enji's confident bearing, Inko Midoriya nibbled at her nails, bouncing up and down with anticipation. By the same vein though, Izuku's mother and Enji were both there for the same purpose: to oversee their sons' performance, and in that, Kaida felt strangely comforted. Endeavor could have easily skipped the event out of confidence in Shoto's success, but his presence had an almost supportive message behind it.

"As it stands, you've had enough on your plate within the last few months already," Aizawa muttered. "Perhaps it would have been some satisfaction for you to take the exam alongside your classmates to feel a sense of inclusion; but legally, there is no need for you to possess a license, given the precedent legal accommodations in place for all of your familial heritage of suitable age. In spite of your… somewhat impulsive reactions in the Hosu incident, no action has been taken to redact your privilege to use Elysium's power at your discretion."

 _Is that truly wise, though?_ Kaida went quiet, not wanting to start a debate over the matter. _Should I really be trusted with that level of autonomy?_

 ** _"_** ** _The Tamashini wardens are granted special societal privileges because you are a representation of the true spirit of nobility in your society,"_** Elysium spoke solemnly. _"_ ** _It ought to be something you bear with pride — if you do not feel 'worthy' of such a thing, think of it as something to live up to."_**

 _Very well, then._ She fiddled with the hem of her skirt, unsatisfied with her teacher and the dragon's declarations.

 ** _"_** ** _Bear in mind that your mother did not nearly partake in as many social norms as you have. Her education was overseen by the acolytes as soon as she reached her fifteenth year. She was already an active, contributing member of society before the age of twenty, even bearing you as her heir when she was not much older than you are now..."_**

Kaida went from unsatisfied to uncomfortable. _Let's leave my parents out of this disquieted mood, please. And I certainly would rather not consider how early on my mother was… bearing child._

 ** _"_** ** _Hm. Indeed, there is enough to concern yourself with at the present as is."_** To her relief, Elysium stopped weaving into her thoughts at that point, its voice falling silent.

"They're about to begin," Enji crossed his arms across his chest, tipping his head to the arena below, where the license candidates were emerging from a tunnel into the main examination area. Amidst the other young adults, the elite chosen from the top hero programs around the country, Kaida caught sight of Izuku's curly green hair and Shoto's distinctive red-and-white.

"Good luck, Izuku!" Inko Midoriya cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted, but her voice quavered with excitement, certainly not reaching far enough for Izuku to have heard.

 **"** **We will now begin the simulation exam… candidates, please be at the ready."** A tired, monotonous voice came through the intercom. Used to Present Mic's overzealous screeching, Kaida almost had a hard time making out the announcer's words.

"What's the format for the exam? I didn't hear them announce it," Kaida said, curious.

"The examinees were debriefed beforehand," Aizawa replied. "But as far as I know, it will be a combination of the final exam practical at UA and a rescue simulation." He pointed at the screens. "Do you see the people scattered about the arena? Those are trained actors who are playing the parts of civilians in the simulated combat situation; the exam candidates will have to assess what level of threat they are facing from the 'villains' and then work together to rescue the 'civilians' while fending off incoming attacks."

"I see." Kaida scanned the arena. Sure enough, she saw the people Aizawa had pointed out, huddled together between buildings or behind piles of rubble. There were men and women, older folks and younger children alike, and looked to be in various states of well-being: some were covered in faux blood, others had an arm or leg, or both, in a cast. Kaida saw the hero students fanning out, ranging around the arena in small groups. The monitors above the stadium flickered between vantage points, through either hidden cameras or footage from the many drones that circled the area.

Kaida kept her eyes on the actual figures of her classmates below, Elysium's assistance boosting her vision. Then in the periphery of her sight, she detected a flurry of movement. Over three dozen black figures were springing up all over the fields, out of puddles of some strange plasma that had gone mostly unnoticed before. The examinees were quick to react, shifting into combat positions. To Kaida's surprise, she recognised the opponents as many copies of her mathematics teacher.

"Eh… didn't know they got Ectoplasm in on this," Aizawa craned his neck. "Makes sense, though. He can cover a wide area and provide overwhelming numbers to force the would-be heroes into a disadvantaged situation."

"They'll have to deal with more than just the clones," Enji pointed across the arena, where a gate was lifting, revealing a tall figure draped in black and white. "Another interesting choice."

* * *

 **Pro Hero: Gang Orca**

 **Quirk: Orcinus** **  
With the build and capabilities of killer whale, he's a superior combatant in the water, but also able to use his enhanced strength and senses on land. He can also use his sonar above water to produce hypersonic waves.**

* * *

Before the examinees had much of a chance to react to the new opponent, he opened his jaws and let loose a powerful sonic wave. The sound reached Kaida's ears a full second or two after she saw the hero students getting knocked down or freezing in place, and by the magnitude of the noise even at the diminishing distance she was at, it was unsurprising that a close-range blast from the attack would have such an effective paralyzing effect.

Then she saw two figures leap out from behind a pile of rubble. The pair rose up into the air; as they ascended, Kaida made out a girl with spiky black hair, perched on the broad shoulders of a boy wearing a heavily modded hero costume and military hat. The boy was creating a whirlwind below them, lifting them above the prone examinees on the field. He kept one hand on his hat, securing it to his head, and the other anchored the girl's legs. As Gang Orca looked up to assess the new threat, a spiral of multi-colored lights burst from the girl's upper torso, and a huge metal net dropped out of the air, seemingly produced straight from her body. The boy drop-kicked the net onto Gang Orca, slamming him into the ground as they landed, and the girl leapt off, acrobatically tumbling a short distance before skidding to a halt. Her Quirk activated again around her hands and wrists, and she flung four newly-produced stun grenades at Gang Orca. They latched onto the net, and the shock was conducted along the wire frame. The pro hero bellowed ferociously, rendered immobile.

"Incredible display of aptitude and adept handling of their Quirks," Aizawa murmured.

"What do you expect? Shiketsu High would be making a fool of itself if they produced anything but the best," Endeavor huffed. "They stack up to UA in terms of results and notable alumni."

As the two Shiketsu students helped other examinees up, that group started to redouble their efforts in identifying and triaging rescuees. Ectoplasm's clones were being dealt with, but there was little end to them; wherever one or two got struck down, they were replaced not long after. But in spite of the ever-present onslaught, it seemed that the examinees had fallen into a good rhythm of the combat-types covering the area while others focused primarily on rescue.

Scanning the wide-view monitors above the arena, Kaida located Izuku and Shoto again. They were in the urban area, on two separate screens; Izuku was zipping down the narrow alleyways between buildings, scouting out the area, while Shoto was fighting a group of clones on a main street.

"Yo! If it isn't Enji and Shota!"

A new voice caught Kaida's attention. She looked up as a young man vaulted over the bench she and the others were seated on, settling down one row ahead. He had a mop of tousled, ash-blonde hair, and a pair of massive feathered wings on his back. Kaida recognised him instantly.

* * *

 **Hawks** **Quirk: Fierce Wings**

 **Each of the feathers in his pinions can be telekinetically controlled and shed at will, growing back within a day. He can use his wings for flight, or dispatch his feathers individually to use as blades and other utility.**

* * *

The current number two hero, and one of Akira's most notable apprentices.

"And you must be Kaida," he grinned, reaching forwards and tipping her chin up boldly with his index finger. "A spitting image of your mom, that's for sure."

"Hawks," Endeavor said sternly, " _must_ you always be so rudely casual…?"

"It's called being _friendly,_ Enji, and you should try it out sometime." Without missing a beat, he rocked onto his feet, ruffling his red feathers. Kaida was struck by his carefree nature. Her mother had spoken highly of Hawks, and from what she knew of him secondhand, Kaida had expected him to be a much more severe character. But he hopped down two more rows, landing with a cheery bob beside Inko. "And _this_ is Toshinori's lovely wife, no?" Inko squeaked in surprise, clapping her hands to her cheeks.

 _Hm. So Izuku gets that from her, I see,_ Kaida noted.

"Ah! Hawks-san! I-it's very nice to meet you."

He gave her a polite bow. "Of course, and same goes to you, Ms. Midoriya." Along with the gesture, he gave Enji a meaningful ' _see, I can be polite when it's called for'_ side-eye. Kaida suppressed a laugh.

Hawks leaned against the railing beside Inko. "At any rate, they called me here to help proctor the exam and act as a judge for the practical. Are you all just along for the ride?"

"Something like that," Aizawa replied. "Shouldn't you be paying more attention if you're supposed to be judging?"

"Eh," Hawks shrugged. "I've been watching plenty. These kids… man, they really are something. I'm certainly not worried about their qualifications. Isn't that right, Enji?"

Endeavor jutted his chin. "For some of them, this is simply a matter of formality. Of course they're all highly capable."

"No kidding," Hawks nodded. He walked back up to sit in front of Kaida again. "And _you_ , you're one hell of an Elysium. Almost putting your mom to shame already, haha."

"Oh, I wouldn't go _that_ far…" Kaida winced.

 ** _"_** ** _Just take the compliment, child."_**

She scowled. _No one asked for your two cents._

"Hey, I'm just saying," Hawks lifted his hands, throwing her a wink. "It'll be great to work with you in the future."

Kaida blinked. "Y-yeah." _He's a bit forward, no?_

Luckily, Hawks seemed to be on the move again. "Well then, just thought I'd stop by for some quick introductions. Looks like they're wrapping up; I'll see you guys around."

"Later," Endeavor muttered.

 _…'_ _Later?'_ Kaida was bewildered. _His casual lingo is rubbing off on Endeavor, too?_

* * *

A bit later, she sat in the lobby of the testing facility watching the other fledgling heroes stream past with their teachers, the excitable atmosphere buzzing in the air as they looked at their newly-conferred provisional licenses. Eventually, Shoto and Izuku emerged from the office. Izuku was holding his card in the air, right in front of his nose, while Shoto had his hands in his pockets, impassive as ever. Inko ran forwards and threw her arms around her son, sobbing through her smiles.

"Izukuuuu! I'm SO proud of you," she squeezed him tightly, until Kaida thought she'd hear a few bones cracking.

"T-thanks, Mom," Izuku wheezed.

Kaida stood up and went to Shoto's side. Endeavor hovered a little way away, looking on approvingly. Kaida gave Shoto a small smile, but before she could say anything, someone else came running up.

"Todoroki! Is that you?"

They turned to see the girl Kaida had noticed earlier, with her fellow Shiketsu boy right on her heels. Shoto blinked in recognition.

"Yaoyorozu… it's been a while."

 _Oh,_ Kaida looked the other girl up and down. _So this is that childhood friend he mentioned a while ago._

* * *

 **Momo Yaoyorozu**

 **Quirk: Creation  
By manipulating the molecular content of her bodily lipids, she can create any** **non-living material from her exposed skin, as long as she has a good understanding of the composition of her target object.**

* * *

"It's so good to see you again," she clasped her hands together, beaming at Shoto. Kaida felt a prick of jealousy. Yaoyorozu was almost ten centimetres taller than her, and beside her broad-shouldered companion, the two towered over Kaida and Shoto. "Oh, but how rude of me," Yaoyorozu turned and put a hand on the boy's chest. "Introductions are in order. This is Inasa, my—"

"Her other half!" The boy puffed out his chest proudly. "The only male at Shiketsu High worthy to stand beside Momo Yaoyorozu."

* * *

 **Inasa Yoarashi**

 **Quirk: Whirlwind  
He's able to manipulate the air around him with extremely precise control. This allows him to create incredible gusts of wind for offensive purposes, while using more delicate winds to handle rescue situations, or even allow himself to fly.**

* * *

He put his hands on her shoulders posessively, and she smiled, a little embarrassed. Shoto shifted his weight uncomfortably.

"And, Tamashini, right?" She offered Kaida a hand, which Kaida shook.

"Nice to meet you," she said, exchanging a rather stiff bow. "It's certainly been a day of many new acquaintances."

"Yes, but of course," Yaoyorozu adjusted her uniform cap. "The best of the best have gathered here today for this exam; a bit of socialisation can do us all nothing but good."

"Mm!" Inasa grunted enthusiastically. "And ideally we shall all be more than acquaintances — friendships make for the strongest bonds, essential for good teamwork!"

"Y… yeah," Kaida did agree, but Inasa's enthusiasm was rather suffocating. "That said—"

"Momo! We must be off!" Inasa suddenly declared, practically lifting Yaoyorozu off of her feet and turning her towards the door. "It would be most unbecoming if we miss our ride back home!"

"All right, let's go," Unfazed, she tucked her hair behind her ear and waved over her shoulder. "Stay in touch, Todoroki!" And just like that, as soon as they had made their appearance, the two zipped off.

"...Wow," Kaida watched the revolving door spinning in their wake as Inasa plowed through. "He makes our Iida seem _tame_ by comparison."

"They're right to make haste," Endeavor said. "We should head out before it gets late and you lot miss your dinner. Come along, now."

Kaida started to follow behind him and the two Midoriya's, who were plastered side-by-side, Inko nuzzling Izuku's shoulder with great affection. Kaida felt a bump on her shoulder. Shoto had come up by her side, keeping pace rather closely. "Hm? What is it?" She asked.

"Remember the other day when you were asking about… being 'explicit?' Should I be more _overt_ like Inasa?" Shoto mumbled. "They were such a… a… power couple."

Kaida burst out laughing. "Oh, _please_ don't," she bumped him back. "That would be incredibly frightening and alarming."

* * *

 **—** **Midoriya—**

Another week passed after the licensing exam, and it was the eve of the students' departure for summer training camp. The mid-afternoon breeze drifted in through Izuku's open balcony door, disturbing the messily-folded piles of clothes on his bed.

"Do you seriously need that many fucking socks?" With a clatter, Katsuki clambered onto the balcony and slid into Izuku's room. "Hurry up, you were so insistent on going with everyone to the pool and you're still dawdling here with your shit," he grumbled. "You can finish packing later."

Izuku looked at his wall-clock, and jumped. "Oh, I didn't realise the time! Let's hurry." Abandoning his overflowing duffel bag, he scooped a drawstring backpack out from under his bed. He pulled out his uniform swimming trunks out of it, and kicked his socks off, getting ready to change. For a moment, he paused, and gave Katsuki a meaningful nod to the door.

"Seriously?" In response, Katsuki rolled his eyes, and marched straight up to Izuku, yanking the other boy's shirt off in one smooth motion. "As if I haven't already seen—"

"K-k-kacchan!" Izuku squeaked in protest, running over to where his shirt had been flung and bundling it into his arms, bright red.

Katsuki snickered, and then shrugged. "Whatever, there's plenty of time for _that_ later. See ya there, nerd."

* * *

By the time Izuku got to the pool, many of his classmates were already there. Iida was handing out bottles of orange juice to the boys who were stretching at one end of the pool, preparing for their afternoon training. Izuku could hear the class president's shouting:

"It is important to prioritize hydration before a workout! Please drink these before you jump in the water!"

Izuku saw Katsuki flinging an empty bottle across the way into a recycling bin. "Gimme another," he demanded. Iida held the bottles in his hands high up in the air.

"No! I specifically procured enough that each of us will have _one_ drink! Too much, and we'll be running the risk of indigestion!"

Katsuki jumped up in the air, giving himself a little explosive boost, and snatched another bottle. "Well, then I'll just be drinking Deku's share, then." He grinned, and popped it open before Iida could protest further.

As Izuku made his way around the edge of the pool, he caught on to a conversation coming from one of the lounge chairs under an umbrella. He recognised Kaida's voice.

"It's not that I _can't_ swim," she was laughing, "I just don't really enjoy it. It's a pain to get my hair wet when I don't have to."

"Oh," Todoroki stood up, coming into Izuku's view. "That makes sense."

"KAIDAAAAAA!" From out of nowhere, Uraraka ran up into the scene. "No hiding out in the shade with your boyfriend! Come hang out with us! We're going to play some water-volleyball!"

"I think the word for that would be 'water polo,'" Kaida mumbled, rubbing her arms apprehensively.

"Who cares?" Uraraka quipped cheerfully. She clapped her hands onto Kaida's shoulders with surprising speed and force. Kaida yelped as she started to float up into the air. "Tsu-chan! Get her!" As Uraraka ran off again, Tsuyu's long tongue shot out and nabbed Kaida, flinging her into the water. Todoroki started to go after her, but was stopped by Izuku.

"Nah, don't rescue her," he laughed. Todoroki winced at the resounding shouts from the water.

Uraraka was continuing her rampage around the pool. She skidded to a halt in front of Iida. "And _you!_ " Giving him a righteous slap on the chest, she took away his gravity as well. "Training camp hasn't started yet. Have some fun first!" Yanking on Iida's leg, she whirled him around. He shouted in protest.

"URARAKA-CHAN! PUT ME DOWN AT ONCE!"

"Okay!" Uraraka giggled. She let go, flinging Iida out over the pool.

 **"** **Release!"**

And with that splash, their summer began.

* * *

 ** _Next Chapter: Into the Forest_**


	12. XII: Into the Forest

**AN: AAAAaaaAAAA welcome back from hiatus, I totally forgot to update here! I've survived spring quarter, onwards to summer's semester... hopefully I'll be back to regular updates now! As always, thanks for sticking by, and happy reading 3 Don't forget to leave a review!**

* * *

 **Chapter Twelve: Into the Forest**

* * *

 **—Midoriya—**

"MIDORIYA-KUN. WHAT EXCUSE DO YOU HAVE FOR YOUR LATENESS?" A window on the side of the bus slid open violently and Iida's head popped out, his glasses teetering dangerously on the bridge of his nose. "All of your classmates have been loaded and seated for the last five minutes!"

Izuku looked at his watch. "But… it's only 8:25," he blinked up at the class rep, who was scowling down. "And we're not leaving until 8:30, I thought?"

"If your metric for punctuality is the proposed departure time, you are setting yourself up for a lifetime of tardiness!" Iida chopped his hand up and down as he scolded. "In the spirit of UA, we fledgling heroes must be _Plus Ultra_ : always on time and—"

"Iida-kun, you're letting the bugs in," Uraraka's voice whined, and her hand appeared on Iida's shoulder, yanking the boy back in through the window. Uraraka peeped out not long after, clambering over Iida to wave at Izuku. "Hi, Deku-kun! Don't worry about Iida being so…" she paused, tapping her chin as she sought the right adjective. "So _Iida_. There are lots of seats still for you!"

Izuku laughed, and tossed his duffel bag and backpack into the luggage bay before going around the side of the bus. The hydraulic doors opened silently, releasing the din of Izuku's classmates. It was a lively and cheery atmosphere, a mood of expectant excitement hanging in the air. Izuku walked past his classmates, getting a quick grin and wave from Kaminari and Jiro, and a _tch_ from Katsuki, who was sitting with his feet up on the chair in front of him, beside Kirishima. Izuku smiled. Their time in the all-dorm system had proved to provide a peaceful rhythm of safety that let them grow together, forming even tighter bonds as could be expected in a cohabitation situation.

Sliding into the empty seat across from Uraraka and Iida, Izuku let out a sigh. In truth, he'd been scrambling to finish packing on time, pulling stray pairs of socks from every nook and cranny of his room and losing track of his sets of uniform sweat and training gear within the last hour. Of course, as soon as Katsuki came over to to help look, all of Izuku's missing clothes were soon retrieved, making Izuku look rather stupid. With a condescending headpat, Katsuki had laughed and made his way to the bus first. Izuku peered over the seats to where his significant other was sitting, beside Kirishima, and felt a little pang of jealousy. _I wish we could have sat next to each other… it's a long bus ride, after all._ But he knew that it was unrealistic. Katsuki still wanted to keep their relationship a secret, and Izuku would respect that.

 _And then by contrast, we have these two…_ In the seats right in front of Izuku, Todoroki and Kaida were settled down comfortably in the coach bus seats. Kaida had her head resting on Todoroki's shoulder and her eyes closed, apparently dozing peacefully. Todoroki looked up and saw Izuku peeping over the seat back. He blinked and gave Izuku an awkward "hello," and put his finger to his lips, glancing down at Kaida. Izuku suppressed a little chuckle, and nodded, sliding back down into his own seat.

 _It'll be a long ride… and we'll probably not get much rest once we're at the training camp. She probably has the right idea._

* * *

 **—Tamashini—**

Kaida _was_ having a restful sleep — for a short while, at least. Shoto's comforting scent had lulled her into a quieted mood, and she found herself quickly nodding off. In her dreams, as always, she found herself in Elysium's cavern. But the dragon was leaving her be, and she was laying on the ground, staring nonchalantly at the ethereal swirling stars that danced along the cavern's roof, high above. It was neither too cold nor too warm, and the cavern floor was oddly comfortable.

Then someone materialised in the periphery of her vision. Her eyebrow twitched irritably, her eyes focusing slowly on the intruder. He spoke her name.

"Kaida… Kaida, can you hear me?"

She sat up. "Yeah, I can hear you… oh, Athos; it's you. What are you doing here? I thought only Elysium could walk my dreams."

The acolyte bowed apologetically, noting Kaida's displeasure at his presence. "Ordinarily, yes — I am here through a special ritual. I needed to tell you something. Fret not; it is nothing drastic or unfortunate, just a message of precaution."

"...and a simple phone call wouldn't have sufficed?"

Athos smiled. "We prefer analog means of communication."

 _This is far from 'analog.'_ Kaida sighed. "Well, what is it?"

"Upon further meditation, we have found unsettlingly high values of activity from Erebus's aura. While there is no imminent sign of another attack, it would be best to maintain your guard and not make any large moves. I am aware that your training camp will be at a secret location, but you should not perform any full shifts while there. Your release of power is easily traced, and could endanger yourself and the others."

"Understood." Kaida nodded. "Though I should add… I have had difficulty integrating myself lately. My meditations have been blurred or altogether unsuccessful. Elysium says that it is natural in the wake of my last major battle and the disquietude in my heart… but I worry that I will not find a solution to it if I haven't already."

"Peace," Athos said gently, "will come to you with time. You shall continue to find kinship amidst those who share your daily life, and through them, your spirit shall slowly heal. Be patient with yourself, Tamashini."

"Very well," Kaida replied, trying to convince herself to have faith in Athos's words. "I'll do my best."

The robed man smiled, and lifted his hand in farewell. Before Kaida could reciprocate, she felt herself sliding forwards, and phased back into the waking world.

Shoto was catching her before she could bump her head on the seats in front of them. "Good morning," he smiled. "We're here."

"Huh?" Kaida blinked blearily. As always, it seemed that time had moved on without her while she resided in a connected dream to Elysium's realm. "Oh." She looked up at Shoto. "Sorry did not keeping you company," she said remorsefully.

He shook his head, and offered her a hand as he stood up. "I'm glad you got some rest, and that I could help in one way or another."

"You know you always do," she took his hand, and they made their way down the aisle after their classmates.

When she exited the bus, Kaida saw that they had stopped by a relatively large vista, overlooking a sprawling forest. Two women stood by the railing, talking animatedly with one another. A sullen-looking boy, wearing a cap with little spikes, hovered nearby.

"Eh…? Where's Class B?" Kaminari looked around. "I thought you said we're here, Aizawa-sensei."

Aizawa shrugged. "I didn't specify where 'here' is, though."

"Ummm," Mineta fidgeted. "Maybe we should get back to the bus; I don't like the looks of this setup…"

"What do you mean, 'setup?'" An unfamiliar voice jibed, laughing. The two women Kaida noticed earlier had approached. They were wearing matching hero costumes in two colors, which were comprised of headsets shaped like cat ears, a rather impractical-looking collared top and a frilly skirt. Before they could introduce themselves, Izuku hopped up and down with excitement, shuffling forwards.

"Oh wow… are you Mandalay and Pixie-Bob?"

The woman dressed in blue gave him a wink. "That's us! Pixie-Bob at your service."

"Not all of us," the other one chimed in. "We're only half of the team, the—"

"Wild, Wild, Pussycats!" Uraraka finished with a squeal. "You guys are so cool! And one of the only hero teams that's been in business together for this long!"

Pixie-Bob's eyebrow twitched. "We're… young at heart, okay?"

"Aizawa," Mandalay reached out and shook the homeroom teacher's hand. "Glad to see you and the kids made it out here safe. Vlad and the others have already been sent on their way. Can we get started?"

"Sure." Aizawa shrugged, non-committal as ever. "I'll see you at the lodge." He turned and got back on the bus. Before the doors closed on him, he addressed his students. "Your belongings will be unloaded for you there. Make it in one piece, can't have you falling apart before the real fun begins."

"Wha— What's that supposed to mean?" Mineta scrambled after him. "Wait!" The bus's tires kicked up dirt, and soon it was out of sight. Kaida sighed. Well, if I'd known this was happening, I ought to have brought a hair-tie, at least…

"It means…" Pixie-bob crept up on Mineta, looming over the boy when he turned around. "That it's time to get your feet wet! Camp starts right now, kitties~!" She pointed across the valley, to a central mountain a few kilometres away. "See that over there? Our base is at the foot of those mountains. If you start now… maybe you'll even make it there in time for lunch," she snickered, putting one paw over her mouth. "Okay! Ready, set, GO!"

"Question!" Iida shot his hand into the air. "Wh—"

Before he could finish, the ground around the students erupted, bundling them all into the air on an overwhelming landslide.

* * *

 **Pro Hero: Pixie-Bob**

 **Quirk: Earth Flow  
She can completely control the ground and earth materials, even over a very long range, and to the extent of a variety of creative applications.**

* * *

Many of the girls (and Mineta) screamed as they all tumbled down the cliff. Uraraka tagged as many of her classmates as she could on their way down, trying to slow their descent, but the unyielding landslide carried them down the cliff face regardless. Towed by the torrent of dirt, the actual impact on the ground far below wasn't too rough, and Kaida managed to roll over onto her feet. Grimacing, she dusted the small rocks and dirt off her skirt. _Not even giving us a chance to get out of uniform, huh?_

"Are you okay?" Shoto was scrambling out of the debris, grabbing her arm as he went to her side.

"I'm good," she nodded. Scanning the piles of dirt, she saw her other classmates picking themselves up as well. "A rough and rude kickoff, but there was method behind it… Pixie-Bob knows what she's doing."

 **"Ahem!"** Mandalay's voice, clearing her throat, rang in Kaida's head. She felt Elysium wince at the intrusion.

* * *

 **Pro Hero: Mandalay**

 **Quirk: Telepath** **  
By establishing a mental conduit with her targets, she can broadcast her thoughts as messages to many people over a vast proximity. The connection is one-way, however.**

* * *

 **"To reiterate,"** Mandalay continued, " **we'll be waiting for you at the base. To get through the Beasts' Forest, you'll have to all work together! Feel free to use your Quirks as much as you need to. Bye for now! Good luck!"** From far above, she peeked over the edge of the cliff, and waved down at them.

"T-the 'Beasts' Forest?" Kaminari gulped. "I don't like the sounds of that…"

"Man up, loser," Bakugo grumbled. "What's the worst they've got? Bears or some shit? We got Tamashini to run first-aid if we need it, and a hell of a lot of Quirks between all of us. Not that I need all of you extras to make it through."

"Come on, Bakugo," Kirishima grinned, before engaging his Hardening in both his arms. "Let's all band together like she said… maybe it'll even be fun!"

"Fun? We have very different ideas of 'fun!'" Mineta squealed.

Then a low, rumbling roar drowned out his griping. They all turned to look at the tree line, where the noise had originated. Kaida fanned out her fingers, lighting her flames on her left hand and manifesting a blade in her right. _Not being able to shift will be a challenge, for sure… especially if it's something big._ She tried to tune her mind towards the trees, searching for a malicious aura, but nothing pinged back.

 ** _"Patience… work with your peers, as they suggested,"_** Elysium counseled.

"Don't spread out too much," she called to her classmates. "Stay close until we know what we're dealing with." She was still not entirely comfortable engaging in combat while in human form — and that discomfort was only multiplied by the fact that she was trying to maintain decency in her flimsy uniform — but she readied herself nonetheless, not wanting to let such a trivial thought keep her from supporting her peers.

With another roar, the adversary burst through the trees. It was a huge, lumbering creature, quickening towards them on four stocky limbs. A triangular head, resembling a snapping turtle's with its jagged edges and teeth, tossed in the air as it charged.

"Good beast of the forest!" Koda's voice, so rarely heard, lifted above the others. "Please calm down!"

The creature bellowed again in response. _Anivoice isn't working?_ Kaida frowned. She blasted a cone of fire, careful to avoid her classmates. Shoto followed up with his own flames, but both fizzled harmlessly against the creature's torso. "What is this thing?" Shoto tried his ice instead. He succeeded in locking the creature down, but by the way it struggled, it wouldn't hold for long.

"Iida! Kacchan! With me!" Midoriya leapt forwards, his Quirk sending sparks through the air.

"Two steps ahead of you, nerd," Bakugo shot past Midoriya, landing a good explosion in the creature's face.

"Hah!" With a flare of his engines, Iida followed up with a kick, and Midoriya was not far behind. With a mighty smash, he burst through the creature… which crumbled to pieces in his wake.

Ah. I see. Understanding surfaced for Kaida. "They're Pixie-Bob's earth beasts," she said. "Inanimate, but given motion and a false sense of life by her Quirk." Clever, and effective.

"Well, that wasn't so bad," Kirishima clapped his hands together. "Piece of cake!"

"But you didn't even do anything to help…" Hagakure said pointedly.

"Heads up," Shoji's voice came from above.

* * *

 **Mezo Shoji**

 **Quirk: Dupli-Arms  
Instead of normal arms, he sports multiple tentacle-like appendages from which he can produce duplicates of his body parts. These duplicates function at a higher quality than his normal parts, allowing him to see, hear, and smell much farther than normal, or throw incredibly powerful punches.**

* * *

At the end of one appendage, Shoji spoke to his classmates, while his other arms pivoted back and forth, many eyes and ears scanning the area from above. "It wasn't alone — two more, coming from the trees!"

"We can sit here all day waiting for them to come to us," Midoriya cracked his knuckles. "But if we want to make it through the forest, we'll have to take the fight to the earth beasts." As the ground tumbled and the two new opponents that Shoji had anticipated made their appearance, Midoriya shot forwards again to meet them.

"Who died and made you leader, huh?" Bakugo was close behind. "Get the fuck back here, idiot!"

* * *

 **—Todoroki—**

 _What the hell were they thinking, saying we could make it by lunchtime?_

Afternoon was dragging on into sunset when the trees finally grew less dense, and the canopy parted to reveal the craggy mountain and large buildings at its foot. "Fatigued" was a good word to describe the class's overall mood as they limped into the clearing. No one had sustained any serious injuries, but everyone bore a few cuts and bruises and a layer of dirt and mud. Some were missing a tie, a blazer, or a shoe.

"Ah, finally! There you are." As the class shambled forwards, Shoto saw Mandalay, Pixie-Bob, and Aizawa coming to meet them.

"Teacher!" Iida stride ahead of his classmates. "I must ask about this exercise! It seemed greatly irresponsible of UA to deploy us in the woods like that. What would have happened if harm had befallen one of the students?"

"Me," Kaida muttered, too quietly for most of the others to hear. "I would've handled it…"

"Oh, we were looking out for you, don't worry!" Pixie-Bob flapped a paw at Iida. "Well, her, specifically." From behind the blue-costumed woman, a new face popped out. She had large, smiling amber eyes and long emerald-green hair; her uniform was the same design as the other two's, but in yellow.

"Hiya! You can call me Ragdoll."

* * *

 **Pro hero: Ragdoll**

 **Quirk: Search  
She can monitor and observe up to 100 individuals at a time, including their location, condition, and weaknesses.**

* * *

"I can keep watch on all of you as long as you're in our territory — fool-proof, I promise!"

Iida didn't look particularly convinced.

"Stop wingeing," Aizawa scowled. "You're all fine, aren't you?"

"We'll even be making dinner for you tonight," Mandalay winked. "Just because it's the first night, though. Don't expect to be pampered for the entirety of camp; this isn't a resort we're running here. Think you can get settled in and everything on your own? We won't be too hard to find if you do end up needing help. Building's pretty straight forwards: when you head upstairs, you'll find the girls' room on the left, the boys' on the right, separate bathrooms included."

"There's an onsen in the back, too!" Ragdoll grinned. "But you probably want to wait until after dinner to have a soak, so you can properly enjoy yourselves."

"Class B will already be ready to eat by now," Aizawa said meaningfully. "Hurry and get changed into clean clothes."

 _Clean clothes…_ Shoto looked down at his ruined uniform. Never in his life had he ever been allowed let his clothes get even close to that sort of condition. _Maybe I should just burn these._

"This is Kota," Mandalay interrupted Shoto's idle thoughts and pushed a young boy forwards. Shoto recognized him as the one that had been with Mandalay and Pixie-Bob at the vista they'd been dropped off at. He was still wearing his spiked cap and sour expression. "He's our helper here, of sorts. I'll have him patrolling your floor to make sure you don't get lost, and if there's anything you need that you can't find right away, feel free to bother him."

"Tch." Kota crossed his arms hotly. Without further exchange, he shrugged Mandalay's hands off his shoulders, and started tramping off towards the building. Too tired to ask further questions, the students followed behind, shambling along in the hopes of the promise of fresh clothes and delicious food.

Midoriya, ever the diplomat, trotted to the front of the group, putting his hands on his knees so that he could stoop slightly to the younger boy's level. "Hi there, I'm Izuku! Thanks in advance for showing us around and—"

"Damn, just shove off."

A collective gasp of surprise came from those within earshot at the young boy's incredibly rude retort. _What is he, five? Six?_ Shoto's eyebrows twitched downwards. _What's got him so ornery and foul-mouthed?_

"YOUNG BOY!" Iida yanked Izuku aside to glower down at Kota. "Who are you to speak with such impolite mannerisms to your elder? Midoriya-kun was extending an amicable offer of friendship!"

"I don't care about being friends with you," Kota muttered. "I don't intend to have anything to do with your kind."

 _'Intend?' Our kind?_ Now Shoto was truly puzzled by what was under this kid's skin, and why he was touting that kind of vocabulary.

"Don't ask me dumb personal questions." At the top of the stairs, Kota jerked a thumb at the set of sliding doors to his left. "Just get on with it, okay?" Bewildered, but once again lacking the energy to ponder at this any further, the boys and girls branched off, going their separate ways.

"Oh? What's this?" Monoma stood up with a loud clatter of his chair as the boys from 1-A walked into the dining room. "You all finally decided to show up, hm? Funny, isn't it, how everyone has this grand idea of how you guys are the better class of first-years, and yet here you are, lagging behind us! Ahahahaha—Ow." Kendo yanked the boy down by his sleeve and delivered a swift backhand to the side of his head, sighing in embarrassment.

"This is why you're not class rep, Monoma," Hagane muttered. Next to him, Tetsutetsu snickered in agreement.

* * *

 **Neito Monoma**

 **Quirk: Copy** **  
By coming into contact with another person, he can "copy" and use their Quirk for a short period of time. There are some Quirks he has trouble copying effectively, though, and he can only use one copied Quirk at a time.**

* * *

"Iida, Todoroki, Deku-kun!" From Hagane's other side, Uraraka stood up to wave the boys over to the table. "Come sit with us! We've saved some seats for you." Shoto caught sight of Kaida staidly working on a bowl of food beside Uraraka. Quite the lineup, he thought, the usual inkling of social anxiety wearing on his confidence, but he tagged along beside Iida and Midoriya, sitting across from Kaida.

As he sat, he caught a thinly-veiled glare of disdain from Hagane. The steel-jawed boy stood up with his empty glass. "Kaida, I'm getting another drink. Do you want more water?"

"Hm?" She blinked, halfway through a mouthful of food. "Uhm, sure. Yes, please." Her glass was barely touched, but she handed it over anyway.

"Anyway, don't mind Monoma," Kendo offered the boys a friendly smile, putting her hand over Monoma's face before he could add any interjections of his own. "Our classes rarely get the opportunity to mingle at school, so this summer will be a good chance to spend some time together. After all, homerooms won't stay divided in this particular arrangement for all three years at UA, you know."

* * *

 **Itsuka Kendo**

 **Quirk: Big Fist** **  
In addition to having enhanced physical power, she can enlarge both of her hands to an enormous size, further increasing her strength, range, and gripping abilities.**

* * *

"Precisely." Iida nodded sagely, and offered the other class president a gratuitously formal handshake. "Our acquaintance will be greatly beneficial for morale."

"Less talking, more eating," Uraraka clapped her hands to get Iida's attention. "I'm on seconds already and you haven't even gotten started!"

Shoto eyed the arranged food. Heaping plates of stir-fried vegetables, kimchi, and various meats were spread out across the table, with a huge serving ladle propped up in each one. Pixie-Bob and Ragdoll were zipping between tables, refilling platters where they started to run empty, and scooping fresh rice into students' bowls as they passed. The air was abuzz with the clattering of utensils and chattering, intermingled with Pixie-Bob's sing-song voice as she waltzed around the room.

Exhaustion and hunger did wonders for the appetite, and a few bites in, Shoto was pleased to note that the food was as good as it looked and smelled. The vegetables were spiced to perfection, the beef was tender enough to retain its succulence, and the rice was rich with the flavors of claypot cooking. He hummed contentedly.

"Hey," a pair of chopsticks tapped on the edge of Shoto's bowl, pulling his attention away from his culinary reverie. He looked up to see Kaida leaning forwards over the table. She glanced over her shoulder before addressing him, in a voice subdued enough that their preoccupied classmates wouldn't pick up on her words. "I know you're probably just starting to settle down and all, but food for thought—" He rolled his eyes at her play on words. "—I think you should take the opportunity while we're here to hang out with Kaiketsu a bit. I feel like you guys don't really get along much and we never see each other all at the same time outside of school, so… like Kendo and Iida said, taking advantage of being here together can only be a good thing, right?"

Shoto frowned. "I've never done anything but be amicable to him, though. He's the one who seems like he's always avoiding me. Why is that, anyway?"

"I really don't know," Kaida said dejectedly. "But I haven't really brought it up with him, I suppose… I guess it's a little unfair of me to ask you to address it then, isn't it?"

Seeing her mood turn, Shoto was defeated. "No, no. It's okay – I'll find some time to speak with him at some point, when I can catch him alone. I know he's an important friend to you."

Kaida returned a grateful smile. At the same time, Hagane returned to the table, and passed her a fresh glass of water. "Thanks."

* * *

 **—Midoriya—**

"Man, what a life ! Eh, Bakugo?" Kirishima leaned against one of the large rocks ringing the hot spring, waist-deep in the water. He grinned, kicking a bit of steaming water at the blonde-haired boy.

"You're so loud," Katsuki grumbled, sinking lower into the water himself. A little ways away, Izuku was also submerged in the onsen, doing his best to not stare obviously at his shirtless significant other. Thankfully, the heat from the naturally steaming water did well to excuse his blush.

With bellies contented from the delicious dinner, the students had been sent off to rest their aching bones in the baths for a bit before dinner. A rock-paper-scissors match between the class presidents had earned Class A the first round in the springs, and they intended to use every minute of their time to the fullest.

"Hey, Todoroki-kun," Izuku looked up, noticing the only boy not dipping his toes in the water perched up on a wide, flat rock. "Is something wrong?"

Todoroki frowned suspiciously at the water. "I've always had problems with my Quirk when taking a bath that's too hot or too cold… so I don't really want to run the risk of accidents the day before training starts."

"Oh. I suppose that makes sense." Izuku caught his eyes meandering over to Katsuki again, and dunked his head under the water in embarrassment. _Ow… that_ is _kinda hot._ He winced as he surfaced for air, the mountain breeze soothing his singed nose. A bit of commotion at the far end of the spring caught his attention.

Mineta was climbing out of the onsen, tying the towel around his waist a bit more tightly. He stretched his arms over his head dramatically. Behind him, and still a good amount taller, Iida stood belly-deep in the water, arms crossed.

"Mineta! What you are doing is a disgrace to both yourself and the girls!"

The short boy looked over his shoulder. "You're too fussy, Iida," he said plainly. "Walls are _meant_ to be climbed. The gods have blessed us with the scheduling miracle of un-staggered bath times. Just beyond this wall… all of my dreams are waiting!"

"Your dreams? What a crude way to speak of women! You should be asha—"

Mineta sighed and shook his head. "Come on, Iida… maybe you're too proper to admit it, but all teenage boys have _ambitions_. For instance…" He pointed a finger at Todoroki. "I bet you've never even seen Tamashini naked. Don't you want to?"

Todoroki's eyes narrowed dangerously. "I don't appreciate you dragging me into your inappropriate endeavors," he stated. "Nor do I condone whatever it is you're about to do, under any circumstances…"

"PAH!" Mineta huffed, popping two purple spheres off of the top of his head. "You're too narrow-minded to realize your dreams! Watch as I make an example of what it means to be _Plus Ultra_!" With that declaration, and before anyone could stop him, he broke into a sprint, faster than Izuku had ever seen the short boy run. Swinging one hand above the other, he leapt up at the dividing wall, scaling it with incredible speed and dexterity by making consecutive sticky handholds with his Quirk. As he neared his dream, there was a loud clatter. A familiar cap-wearing silhouette popped into view at the top of the wall. Kota?!

The boy scowled at Mineta, brandishing a large bamboo stick. "Before you learn how to be a hero, how 'bout learning how to be a not-slimy person?" Kota drew arm back to swat Mineta off of the wall. Flailing in alarm, Mineta lost his grip, and went tumbling down, crashing into Iida as he fell. But his swing finding no target, Kota had lost his balance; he teetered back and forth for a moment, and then with a rather unglamorous yelp, he fell face-first off of his perch.

"Watch out!" Before he could think, Izuku found himself leaping out of the water to catch the falling boy.

A few minutes later, he found himself standing in Mandalay's office, bare-foot and wrapped in a bathrobe. The air conditioning in the building was a bit uncomfortably cold after the soothing warmth of the onsen, but was complemented by the scents of fresh herbal tea and the lingering traces of dinner. Hyper-conscious of the little drips of water that he was leaving on the patterned rug, Izuku tugged at the ends of his curly hair awkwardly, hovering by the plush couch where the young boy was resting.

"Oh, if you want to go back and join your friends, feel free," Mandalay smiled. She laid a hand across the back of Kota's head. "He's just asleep now; fainted from the fear of falling. I'll make sure to tell him to thank you for rescuing him when he wakes up, though. I do feel kind of bad for putting him up to that, but I received a… warning about one of your classmates potentially causing trouble for the girls. So we decided to put him up there on watch."

"Yeah," Izuku looked at Kota's unconscious countenance with curiosity. In sleep, the boy's small brow wasn't knotted downwards as tirelessly as it had been the rest of the day and in every other instance Izuku had seen. The cap Kota always wore sat on the table beside the couch, and Izuku realized that it was definitely a few sizes too big for the young boy. "Hey, Mandalay… if it's okay for me to ask, how come a kid like Kota is all the way out here? Is he one of yours?"

"Mine? Oh, no," Mandalay laughed. "God, if Pixie-Bob heard you assuming something that we might be of a motherly age, she'd claw your eyes out. But no; Kota is my nephew. He lives with us because I am his legal guardian… since my sister and his father died when he was only three."

"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that," Izuku murmured. "I don't mean to pry, I was just—"

"It's quite alright," the woman assured him. "I'm sure you'd like an explanation as to his rather obstinate nature, as well. You don't meet many six-year-olds as cranky as this one, I'd bet." She perched on one arm of the couch, folding her hands in her lap. "My sister and her husband were both heroes. They died in the line of duty… which as you know, is the most honorable way for someone in our line of work to go. While we mourned them, they were lauded and praised for their accomplishments. But for a young boy like Kota, it was too hard for him to understand why everyone was so seemingly happy about his parents' deaths. Everyone saw it as normal, a part of the everyday risk that heroes undertake, but to him, all he saw was that his parents had abandoned him."

Izuku fell silent. _It's true; most people in society see the possibility of death as a standard occupational hazard for a hero… But that understanding is something that comes from an upbringing surrounded by the stories of the amazing deeds that incredible heroes like All Might accomplished. If I had been that much younger when he died, would I have really been able to understand?_

"To Kota, the ever-present conflict between heroes and villains is a fatal flaw of adulthood. No one has ever really gotten through to him about why we need heroes, or why villains commit evil; to him, they're all just as bad as the others. People who go around waving their Quirks about and killing each other, that's all he sees." Mandalay finished somberly. "Hopefully he'll grow out of it and be willing to open his mind up a bit as he gets older… but I don't really know. All I can do is keep trying to protect him from the world that he hates so much." She shook her head. "Sorry. I don't mean to sound so bitter, haha."

"You're fine," Izuku said. "It's… a hard subject." He couldn't find the words to say more.

"Mm." Mandalay stood up, and put a hand on Izuku's shoulder. "You've got enough on your plate as it is with training starting in the morning. Go get some rest, young man. And thanks again for looking out for Kota." She shepherded Izuku out the door, not rudely but a bit abruptly.

He walked down the empty hallway, pulling his bathrobe around himself a bit tighter. Instead of going back down to the baths, he made his way to the boys' room, which he found empty. With a tired sigh, Izuku rummaged around in his bag for a change of sleeping clothes, and unrolled his futon. _Maybe I'll get a head start on sleep, I suppose._

Tucked into the warm, fluffy sheets, he stared up at the patterns cast on the ceiling through the windows, where the moonlight shed patterns of leaves and branches. The distant sounds of his classmates' voices from outside trickled in through the window, accompanied by the whispers of crickets and other mountain life. Alone in the room, Izuku felt strangely small, yet he also had the feeling of occupying more space than he ought to. Perhaps it would help if he scooted his futon a bit closer to the wall? When he rolled over, he realized the ridiculousness of the notion; the room was big enough to hold all the boys in his class even if they all had their own full-sized mattresses. Disgruntled, Izuku bundled back under the sheets.

 _It's the feeling of occupying_ my _space in the world that's suddenly so disconcerting,_ he realized. _In spite of everything that I have to live up to… in spite of growing up without a father, I'm pretty freakin' blessed, all things considered. There are people I love and people who love me, and I have faith in us heroes to keep those people safe. Keeping those ideals is what gives me my strength… but what could a child with no faith in the world find strength in?_

He blinked. _That's why it's so important to always save people with a smile. All Might didn't smile every day because he had limitless confidence and power … but because he was strength for all those people who didn't have anything else to hold on to. The image of his father's gleaming smile flashed through his mind._

 _That's right… to be the symbol of peace means to be the one who can bring hope and strength to those who don't know where else to find that. And that's something the villains can never take away from me._

* * *

 **Next Chapter: Camaraderie and Rivalry**


	13. XIII: Camaraderie and Rivalry

**AN: Hello again, my lovely readers. Once again, I'm sorry for the delay. I've been dealing with some health issues and working out some life logistics as a result right now, but rest assured that I am still working on new chapters and whatnot. I'm ever-so-honored every time I hop on to FFn and see that there are still people checking out my new chapters, and I appreciate you so much ;~; Don't hesitate to leave a comment so that I can reply to you and thank you personally, if you're around.**

 **Anyways, happy reading. This chapter was a meaty one that Tea and I have been anticipating getting out for quite a while... a lot of this has been a long time coming. Some Kaiketsu POV for the first time!**

* * *

 **Chapter Thirteen: Camaraderie and Rivalry**

* * *

 **—** **Midoriya—**

Izuku sat down on the forest floor, in a small patch of grass nestled between the trees. He sighed heavily, staring up at a patch of the azure sky peeking through the canopy above. A few clouds drifted past lazily, catching the early afternoon sun behind them every now and then. It felt like he'd been out there for hours, but he had _nothing_ to show for it. He looked down at his hands, flicking his fingers in frustration.

Solo training One for All out in the woods was all good and fine, as was evidenced by the lack of broken bones and the plentitude of leveled trees. Yet Izuku had failed to unlock or tap into a single one of the other Quirks that Gran Torino had told him about, residing in the core of the grand mantle passed on to him.

 _All Might didn't ever use the other Quirks because he was so good with One for All… but maybe they never appeared for him?_

He'd been trying the most ridiculous things throughout the course of the day. After all, without knowing what the other Quirks might even be, how could he know what to expect? He tried to breathe fire, summon something out of his hands, fly, move things with his mind… but nothing worked. Not even a flicker of some new energy or power. _What am I even doing? How am I supposed to activate these other Quirks if I don't even know what kind of Quirks they are?_

"Ugh." He flopped onto his back, slinging an arm over his face to shield his eyes from the sunlight. Hence, he didn't hear his visitor coming.

"Looks like things are going well," she quipped. The sound of something treading the air was followed by the sound of something landing near Izuku. He looked up, not bothering to fumble up to his feet.

Kaida was standing over him, a pair of faintly glowing, scaled and feathered wings tented behind her back. She ruffled them purposefully. "I thought I'd pay you a visit, on my short break. Pixie-Bob had to move on from building obstacle courses for me to fly through," she explained. "What's new here?"

"Absolutely nothing," Izuku grumbled. He couldn't take his eyes off of her wings. "That's cool though… the hybrid half-shifting thing is really neat," he said appreciatively.

"I've got… mixed opinions on it." Kaida glanced over her shoulder, and the light in her eyes flickered as she dispersed her pinions. "Flying like this is _very_ different than flying in dragon form. You don't know how many times I've crashed into a pillar of dirt," she rubbed at the streaks of mud and abrasions on her face. Bits of dirt clung to her hair as well.

"Hah," Izuku laughed. "But, yeah… I've made pretty much no progress with the other Quirks thing."

Kaida sat down in the grass next to him. "That's okay. Be patient with yourself," she counseled.

"That's what my dad would say, I bet." Izuku sighed. "I keep having dreams of him and the other holders, but I can never remember what they say by the time I wake up. It stinks. I wish they'd talk to me properly, like your dragon does to you."

"Oh, you definitely don't want that. It doesn't know when to leave me alone," Kaida grimaced. "But if you _were_ to take a page out of my book… maybe you can try some sort of meditation?" Gran Torino had already told Izuku that meditation wouldn't get him the answers, but Izuku didn't want to be contrarian and immediately shoot down Kaida's suggestion. She took his silence as compliance. "Here," she said, scooting over to sit directly in front of him, "lend me your hands."

"Uh, okay…" Feeling uncertain, Izuku lifted his palms up to her obligingly. She closed her eyes, placing her hands over his.

"Since… since what happened around the time of the Hosu incident, I haven't been able to attune to people very well," Kaida said. "But let's see if we're not able to accomplish anything here. Sit tight, and relax. Close your eyes, if you'd like."

Izuku did so. Her hands rested just above his, so that their palms were touching and yet they felt weightless. Behind his closed lids, Izuku could still detect the little flickers of sunlight that passed the trees as the wind blew, and the earthy scents of the forest carried through the whiffs of air. Kaida was so silent and still that if he hadn't felt the slight brush of her fingers every now and then, Izuku would have thought she'd disappeared into thin air.

 _Ah… I'm probably supposed to be 'quieting my mind' or something, right?_

 ** _Well, trying too hard is the opposite of what you're shooting for, here._**

Izuku's heart skipped a beat. It wasn't another person's voice in his head, but the thought that crossed his mind somehow felt like it was not his own. A part of his subconscious that felt foreign to his Id, but intrinsically _rational_ ; it didn't feel odd or out of place. Perhaps it was just an extension of his inner dialogue, he thought.

 _Then… what now?_

 ** _Take a look around._**

 _Am I allowed to open my eyes? Eh… Kaida said that was elective, so—_

He cracked one eye open. There was nothing but the forest around him… yet the woods seemed somehow blurred, mingled with a thin, shimmering mist. Izuku squinted; clearly, it was no ordinary haze, but it was unlike anything he'd seen before. He didn't know what to make of it.

Then, with a jolt, he realized that he was alone. Where Kaida had sat, there was nothing but a swirl of the strange mists, flickering with an inner light. He tentatively waved his hand in front of his face, touching each of his fingers to his thumbs. It didn't _feel_ like a dream? At least, he didn't normally dream so lucidly. The grass still felt the same beneath him, the scents of the forest were still there; yet the mists and strange lighting seemed to have no foundation in the reality he'd witnessed moments before. Shuffling forwards, he approached the light in front of him, and reached an arm out—

"…Um."

The real world popped back into existence, and Izuku found his arm caught in Kaida's wrist, his hand planted on her face. She scowled. "Don't whack me like that so suddenly," she muttered. "But we weren't doing much anyway, I suppose."

"I was seeing things!" Izuku insisted. "There was _something_ going on, at least."

"Something," Kaida echoed apathetically. "There isn't much to it, though. There's… another source of aura within you, but we already knew that – the core of One for All, that is. I couldn't tap into it, though. Whatever mental block is hindering you is a blockade for myself, as well." She stood up, brushing bits of grass off of her pants. "I'm going to try and meditate on my own now… perhaps if I were in better form, I could be of more use. My apologies."

"Don't apologize," Izuku stood up with her. "Thanks for trying. And for checking in on me, I appreciate it a lot, y'know."

"Mmm." She rolled her shoulders, and squinted a bit as she focused in on her own powers, the dragon wings fanning out from her back once more. "I'll be off looking for some solitary perch. See you at dinner, Izuku." Just like that, she was off. The wind whipped up by her pinions was less dominating than the gale force of her Elysium form, but as she flew away, Izuku couldn't help but look on in awe.

Izuku clapped his hands to his cheeks. _I'm on that level of cool too,_ he said to himself, not really believing it but employing a _fake-it-til-I-make-it_ mentality. _If I can just tap into everything I've got… let's do this!_ He clenched his fists.

 **Full Cowling!**

* * *

 **—** **Todoroki—**

"Eh? What's this?" A scuffle of sneakers on the hard-packed dirt in the clearing heralded Monoma's undesirable arrival. Shoto frowned, not even looking up as the blonde-haired boy stooped over. "Enjoying your little bath, while the rest of us are sweating away?" A mixture of water and sweat dripped off of Shoto's nose.

Shoto gritted his teeth. He squared himself, posturing best he could while in the metal barrel. He _refused_ to refer to it as a bathtub. Ignoring Monoma's presence, he slapped the edge of the barrel again, and the hot water flashed cold as fractals of ice spiraled out from beneath him. Monoma yelped as his feet got rooted to the ground. "W-watch it!"

"No one asked you to stand there, in the way," Shoto muttered, tensing his well-muscled shoulders against the biting cold.

 _This stupid training idea wasn't mine, anyway._ Though he hated to admit it, the water conditioning was undoubtedly effective for honing his Quirk. By pushing his body to its limits and rapidly changing the temperature of the water in the barrel while submerged, Shoto was slowly expanding the hot and cold extremes that he could handle. Not to mention the _mental_ conditioning effects of maintaining his pride while _sitting in a fucking barrel_ for an entire afternoon.

Salvation called across the training clearing. "Wrap it up," Aizawa yelled. A relative 'yell,' at least, compared to his usual drone. "Time to get dinner going. Don't let me catch you trying to cook while in your filthy day-clothes…"

Monoma leaned forwards and tagged the top of Shoto's head, before using Copy to melt himself out of Shoto's ice. He leered over his shoulder. "Have fun cooking," he snickered. "Bet you guys won't be _half_ as adept as _our_ class is. What are you making, something lame like—"

"Shut it, Monoma," Kendo sighed, appearing out of nowhere. She hauled her classmate away by the elbow. "You could sit aside and starve if whatever they make is _that_ bad, you know. But I'm sure it won't be." She flashed Shoto a kind smile. "Good luck, nonetheless."

He forced a smile in return. "Yeah." As the two Class B students headed off, Shoto clambered gingerly out of the barrel. Flicking the excess water off of his bangs, he stretched his arms over his head and reached for his PE jacket, which had been hanging on a short rack beside his tub — his _training pod_.

"Looking good." A soft, teasing, familiar voice came from over his shoulder. As he turned around, his jacket was tossed over his head. Bundling the blue clothes off of his face, Shoto found himself looking down at Kaida as she suppressed a little smirk.

"I've already had to deal with Monoma's teasing," he sighed. "Do you really have to hit me with a follow-up?"

Kaida laughed. "You _do_ look good, though," she said, a bit more sincerely in her repetition. Tossing her tousled, tangled hair over her shoulder, she traced her index finger along his bare collarbone appreciatively. "…heh."

In spite of the hours and hours of bodily conditioning from the long day, Shoto felt his cheeks turn red. He flicked her hand away. Unoffended, she laughed again. "I'm sure you worked hard, though. We all did."

"They're ready to work us into the dirt," Shoto agreed. He started walking back towards the compound, and Kaida tagged along beside him. "The number of times I saw you crash into Pixie-bob's obstacle courses was… alarming."

"Did you hear poor Koda's voice? He was yelling all day. And Uraraka lost her lunch pretty early into the afternoon." Kaida wrinkled her nose at the recollection.

"What were you doing, keeping tabs on everyone?"

"Like a surveillance bird," Kaida fanned her fingers out, wiggling them like a tiny pair of wings. "It wasn't as fun as it sounds. But I suppose it was better than being… stuffed in a tin can all day." The corners of her mouth twitched as she hid her smirk. Shoto sighed.

"At least I don't look like I've been living in the woods for months," he shot back. "There are leaves in your hair, you know."

Kaida blew a lock of her bangs out of her face. "Oh, amidst other things; I know. It's a nightmare, honestly. I'm on dish duty today, though, so I have a bit longer to clean up while the rest of you labor away at the cooking station."

"Good luck with that battle." Shoto plucked a twig out of her hair.

* * *

 **—** **Midoriya—**

"Just on time, Midoriya." Iida nodded sagely, sorting through a rack of dangerously large chef's knives. "The others are getting set up. You can help Uraraka and Tokoyami with prepping the vegetables." He gestured over his shoulder, to a cleared spot not too far away where Dark Shadow had helped Tokoyami haul a large basin of water over. Uraraka was guiding over four crates of vegetables through the air— _interesting that she's able to float just the crates, without letting the contents fly away…_ Izuku noted.

"Deku! There's so much to go through, stop staring and come help us get started!" Uraraka tapped her fingers together lightly, setting the crates down. Tokoyami silently set to work, Dark Shadow humming along placidly as it sifted through the daikons and carrots.

"Right, sorry!" Skirting around Iida, Izuku went over and sat down on a tree stump beside his two classmates. Looking around, he saw the other students of 1-A similarly off to work: Iida had passed four knives to Shoji, who took one in each hand, and along with Ojiro, Koda, and Sato, the five boys were hacking away at the huge slabs of beef that had been provided for meal prep. Tsuyu, Jiro, and Hagakure were mixing various spices and condiments into large bowls, trying to figure out what the best flavors could be for the stew.

By the actual cooking station, Katsuki was making a scene. "ASHIDO, we don't need Icy-Hot for this shit! I _told_ you, I'm _handling_ it!" Smoke and sparks were rising from the enclosed fire pit area.

"Bakugo, you're kiddin' yourself," Kirishima snorted. "Y'aint gonna be able to light fires with Explosion. We'd need like, actual kindling and stuff for that."

"SO GO BE USEFUL AND START SHREDDIN' STICKS!" Katsuki bellowed.

"No thanks!" Ashido crossed her pink arms. "Why should we get involved with a million splinters when we can just wait for Todoroki to come and light the logs that we've already got? …See, here he comes now. Todoroki-kun~!"

Katsuki's face was similar to the color of Izuku's crate of beets, but far more _angry_ _,_ as Todoroki moseyed over to the cooking station. The boy had a fluffy white towel over his neck, his two-tone hair still visibly damp from the showers. Ashido spoke to him in a more composed tone than the three at the station had before, out of Izuku's earshot, but he saw Todoroki nod in understanding and stoop down. He reached out to the cookers and with a _whoosh_ , the flames lit all the logs along the cooker's length.

"To hell with this," Katsuki grumbled. "I ain't cut out for monitoring boiling water. OI! KODA!"

At the chopping table, the timid Koda almost dropped his bowl of nicely-cubed beef. He looked up and shrank a couple of centimeters as Katsuki marched right up to him. Towering above Koda, Katsuki plucked the chef's knife away. "Gimme that. Go trade spots with me." He jerked his chin towards the cooking station and Koda scurried away without protest. "Hmph." Eyeing the abandoned bowl of beef cubes, Katsuki upended it back onto the cutting board disdainfully. With a flourish, he set to dicing the meat to less than half the size, much to Iida's protest:

"Bakugo-kun! If you cut the meat that small, it will boil into nothingness in the stew!"

Katsuki narrowed his eyes, dangling the chef's knife deftly between two fingers. "There's plenty of hunks and chunks between the mangled mess the rest of y'all are cutting up," he said dryly. "You need some that'll just _blend_ into the stew otherwise you won't have flavor for shit, idiot." Across the clearing, Izuku gave his crate of veggies a knowing smile. He knew that Kacchan had learned to cook by force – under the iron fist of his mother, Mitsuki, who insisted that her son have _some_ sort of domestic ability to make up for his "attitude _._ "

"Since when are you an expert?" Ojiro quipped, unconvinced.

"Well…" Sato rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand. "He _is_ right, Ojiro. You gotta get all the ingredients to seep as much flavor as possible."

"There, even Baker's Man agrees," Katsuki went back to his dicing. "OI! YOU HEAR THAT, DEKU?"

Izuku dropped the beets he was holding into the washing basin as Katsuki bellowed at him. _Was I staring_ that _obviously?_

"NO INCOMPETENT CHOPPING OVER THERE, YA HEAR? Or I'll dice _you_ up instead." He cackled.

"You bet!" Uraraka chirped back, without missing a beat. "I'll make sure he does a good job, Bakugo-kun!"

"Eh?" Looking between Uraraka and Katsuki, Izuku saw them exchange a grin and a thumbs-up. _Eh?_

 _"_ _C'mon,_ Deku," Uraraka slid along to perch next to him on the tree stump. "You wanna do a good job for your Kacchan, don't ya? Here, let me show you—"

 _EH?_ " _M-m-my" Kacchan?_ As he fumbled for a response, opening and closing his mouth, a fly zoomed into the back of his throat and Izuku started coughing violently. He spluttered, trying to spit the insect out, turning more and more red with embarrassment.

"…Midoriya. That's unsanitary." Tokoyami had Dark Shadow reach over and shift the crate of vegetables out of Izuku's splash zone. Uraraka patted his back. He buried his face in his hands, not wanting to look at any of them.

* * *

 **—** **Hagane—**

In spite of the disaster that Kaiketsu had predicted Class A's cooking to be, he had to admit, it was a pretty damn good stew. _Someone_ knew their way around a flavor palette, that much was for sure. Spearing a well-cooked beef cube, Kaiketsu rested his elbows on the table and idly tuned in to the conversations around him.

Wedged between the ever-bubbly Uraraka and Tetsutetsu, there was no shortage of chatter in the air, even though they were at the far end of one of the tables. Kendo had come and seated herself across from him about halfway through the meal, Monoma glued to her side, as always. This far into the year, Kaiketsu had developed a talent for tuning out the class nuisance's babbling, or relying on Kendo to stuff a fist in Monoma's mouth; so even as Tetsutetsu messily pushed aside dinner plates and bowls of rice and dessert rolls, urging Monoma and Uraraka to engage in their arm-wrestling, Kaiketsu didn't even flinch. It had been a good day. Training rarely felt so _good;_ rarely left that pleasantly buzzing and solidified feeling in his bones while he got away with almost no burns or other injuries.

Topping it off with an unexpectedly tasty dinner, Kaiketsu only had one complaint: he didn't get to share the day with Kaida.

He slid his narrow orange eyes to the side to glance down the table where she was sitting. Next to Todoroki and Midoriya. _Always_ next to Todoroki, though. Antisocial lunch club may have lost the "antisocial" postulate, but it was like someone had picked the two up as a single unit and just inserted them into the larger social profile of Class A without bothering to do any mixing.

Her long black hair was up in a ponytail that cascaded down over her shoulders, parted in two. It was in surprisingly good condition given how wind-swept she'd looked earlier that afternoon, zipping around on her wings and bundling clumsily into those dirt obstacle courses. It was like the first time Kaida learned to fly — she had been just as clumsy in dragon form at the beginning — but of course, only Kaiketsu knew that. He was sure that her other peers at UA would think of "clumsy" as the most far-fetched word to describe the poised, enigmatic girl that graced their ranks.

Kaida had finished eating; her spoon rested across the top of her bowl. As Kaiketsu watched, the wind stirred the ends of her hair dangerously in reach of the sticky culinary remnants, and Todoroki reached across her to pull her locks out of harm's way. She turned to the boy and gave him a smile, a really _cute_ smile, Kaiketsu couldn't help but notice—

 _…_ _Nah. I'm just imagining things._

She addressed Todoroki with an amiable utterance of thanks that Kaiketsu didn't quite catch, before she rose from her seat. Her hand brushed Todoroki's shoulder as she stood, before she reached back to turn her ponytail into a bun. "Kaminari, I've seen you down at least four of those _manju_. Let's go get started on dishes, shall we?"

"Pass those down here, if you're leaving," Kaiketsu shouted after them. Kaminari, the electric boy, stuffed another bun in his mouth, grumbling, before relinquishing the bowl. It made its way down the line to Kaiketsu as Kaida disappeared around the corner to attend to dish duty, pausing to give Kaiketsu a little wave. The ceramic bowl was deep and wide; it had plenty of the dessert pastries left in it, and they were still wonderfully warm and fragrant.

"Bro. Gimme one." Tetsutetsu reached over across the table and snatched two. Kaiketsu scowled in response.

Then he caught on to more of the conversation from the seats down the table, from that annoying, short boy with the purple hair. Mineta was throwing little pieces of bread at Todoroki to get the other boy's attention. "Hey, hey, hey," he said, in a smarmy voice, "aren't you jealous of Kaminari? Don't you want to go with them? I bet you haven't gotten much _alone time_ with her recently."

 _…_ _What?_

Todoroki's grey eyebrow twitched.

"Ribbit, they hang out a bit in the lounge area before lights-out in the evenings, haven't you noticed?" Tsuyu, the frog girl, chimed in.

"That's so wholesome," Mineta complained. "I mean, _privacy_ must be something you really want though, right? If it were _me_ in your situation, I'd be taking every chance I could to—"

"Good thing it's Todoroki and not you, then," Midoriya retorted.

 _Todoroki and not…?_ Kaiketsu's mind started to spin, as things began to click into place. All the little things he'd noticed, all those moments and things she said so offhandedly—

"Well then, at least tell us this, us less-fortunate folk can live a little vicariously," Mineta put his chin in his hand, staring intently at Todoroki. _"How far have you two gotten?_ Like, how—"

A shattering sound filled the air, punctuating the conversation. Kaiketsu looked down. From his hands, red-hot claws had abruptly erupted out, piercing the sorry bowl of _manju_ buns and completely shattering the ceramic. The little rolls were scattered across the table, his lap, and the ground. He washed them rolling away, stunned at his reaction, but even more stunned by what he'd just heard. It was a sudden, inexplicable anger that burned up inside him, a reactory emotion that overwhelmed the careful and conditioned control he had over his Quirk. An outburst like that hadn't happened in a very long time.

"H…Hagane-kun?" Uraraka had leapt a bit in surprise as the bowl exploded, but now she touched Kaiketsu's shoulder gently, concern in her voice and on her round face. "What's the matter?"

He shrugged her off roughly. His jaws clenched together, grating with a thin noise, he didn't even offer her a reply. Standing up with enough force to shake the bench and scatter the remaining _manju,_ he staggered away from the table, eyes ablaze as the steel claws continued to glow red-hot. His friends continued to say things at him, concerned questioning and pressuring to know what the hell was going on, but he didn't even make out their words. He turned shoulder and stormed off, towards the woods. He had to clear the air. He had to get some space. He had to make sense of—

Then there was a firm hand on his arm, holding him back. A chill crept down from the touch, making his claws steam slightly.

 _Who the fuck?_ Ripping his arm away from the offending grip, he whipped around to see Todoroki standing behind him. "How the hell did you get over here so fast?"

"…Can we talk?" Todoroki said quietly, in his infuriatingly steady voice.

Kaiketsu bared his teeth, biting back on the urge to snap his jaw loudly. That would be even more impolite than the scene he'd just caused, and he was better than that, at least.

He was better than that. _I'm better than Todoroki. I'm better than…_ He met the boy's heterochromatic eyes with his own fire.

"Yeah. Let's have a talk."

* * *

 **—** **Tamashini—**

At the outdoor washing station, sleeves rolled up past her elbows and wisps of escaped hair drifting into her eyes, a very-sudsy Kaida was getting rather tired of Kaminari's incessant humming. It was almost worse than Elysium's ever-nagging voice… almost.

When she noticed the two boys disappearing off into the woods, it sparked a moment of excitement. _Shoto's decided to chat with Kaiketsu, finally? Maybe they'll start to get along…_ With their backs turned to her, she had high hopes.

"Kaminari," she said, distractedly, "finish up without me, I'll make it up to you eventually, ok?"

"Eh?" He stopped humming to whine, eyeing the remaining pile of cookware. "Fine… I suppose. Not like you'd take no for an answer anyway."

Kaida flashed him a grateful, disarming smile, wiped the suds off, and rolled her sleeves back down before treading lightly around the station and into the tree line.

She kept her steps light, to be as discreet as possible while keeping Kaiketsu and Shoto within her line of sight. They went quite far into the forest, almost worrisomely so, before finding a small space between the trees to come to a halt.

"This is private enough, wouldn't you say?" Shoto said.

"Depends on what you want to talk about." There was an edge to Kaiketsu's voice. Reaching out in an attempt to read his aura, Kaida felt an unexpectedly hostile ping. She frowned, folding herself behind a thick tree trunk.

"Let's start with matters at hand," Shoto began. "Your outburst there at dinner was pretty concerning."

" _Concerning?"_ There was a grinding of metal accompanying Kaiketsu's scathing tone. "Listen here, Todoroki." He took two menacing steps towards Shoto, standing almost a full head above the other boy. "You have _no right_ to be touting about this god damned attitude right now. And even less so to be standing by Kaida's side."

Shoto's eyes widened in surprise. "This… I was unaware that you took issue with the matter of our relationship," he said awkwardly.

"Yeah, I _take issue_ ," Kaiketsu mocked. "Call me whatever manner of oblivious you want, but as far as I see it, the only one worthy of being by Kaida's side is _me."_ His tone was growing louder and louder, each word strained but projected. "So you'd damned better excuse me for being in such disbelief that you're bold enough to assume such a place in her life. What the hell do you even know about her? How do you think you can support her, with everything she's been through?"

"...because we chose each other," Shoto replied evenly, after a short pause. "And because I _do_ know her. Are you really so short-sighted that you'd think she wouldn't open herself up to anyone else but you, forever?" Kaida winced. His words were now edged as well, both in content and undertone.

Kaiketsu laughed, harshly. "You're calling _me_ short-sighted? Oh, please _._ I've been the one who stood by her side for fucking years — _years._ You've known her, presumed to care for her, for what, months?" The discourse tumbled out of his mouth uninhibited. "That's practically nothing. I've known her almost our entire lives... I've… I've _loved_ her almost our entire lives."

Kaida's heart skipped a beat, the declaration knocking her off-kilter. _What…? What?!_ Was _she_ the one who had been oblivious for so long? To Kaiketsu, of all people — Kaiketsu, who had been like a brother to her for all those years; Kaiketsu, who had been her family for so long; Kaiketsu, who had been… carrying a torch for her all this time? She clenched her jaw. _Part of me wishes that I didn't hear any of this._

But Shoto didn't miss a beat. "That being the case doesn't invalidate my feelings for her, Hagane. You may have been around longer than I have, but—" Kaiketsu cut him off. The blow he landed on Shoto's jaw wasn't particularly unexpected, but it was abrupt enough to physically send him flying. The hints of metal lingering on the surface of Kaiketsu's skin left a gash on Shoto's cheek. He rolled on the ground to face Kaiketsu, stunned as he touched a hand to the running blood. Kaiketsu was striding towards his adversary.

"I can't stand to hear whatever shit you have to say," he said. "Get the fuck up. Or don't. It doesn't matter to me either way." He curled his fingers back into fists. Kaida saw the glint of his claws, and her legs moved without her.

She sprang from her hiding spot and practically flew across the space between them, throwing herself between Kaiketsu and the prone Shoto. As Kaiketsu made his swing, she parried the blow, materialising one of her scythe-blades and holding the flat of it up across her body. At the shrill ringing of the unexpected collision, Kaiketsu took a step back in surprise.

"Great," he squared his shoulders, aggression now directed at her. "And you've been lurking there this whole time? What is this, some kind of setup? His idea, to rub something in my face?" He jerked his chin towards Shoto as he got off the ground.

Kaida opened her mouth to reply, but Kaiketsu didn't give her the chance. "Whatever it was. It's just as fucked of you to be keeping company like _him_. I could've told you he was trouble from the start. The last thing you need is—"

" _Stop_ , Kaiketsu," she cried out. "Are you hearing yourself? What are you going on about?"

" _You_!" He shouted. "It's always been about you. I've always been here to stop you and curb your worst impulses. You're not in a place for a _fling_ right now. You've gotta be kidding me, Kaida."

"No one is _kidding_ anyone," she replied, bewildered. "And who do you think you are, telling me that you know me better than I do myself? You don't have the right to tell me what kinds of decisions to make."

"Decisions?" Kaiketsu laughed incredulously. "Do you even know what you're talking about? If you've actually been oblivious to me for this long, do you even know what you're getting involved with?"

"Yes!" Kaida stabbed the tip of her blade into the dirt, her hand trembling. Tiny flames licked between her fingers. "Yes," she repeated, her voice suddenly hushed. "I chose him, Kaiketsu."

"You don't even know what that me—"

"I love him, Kaiketsu."

Her interjection came out of her mouth before she thought twice. Silence split the air, juxtaposing with their raised voices just moments before, stifling and suffocating. Even Elysium was quiet, retreated to some distant corner of her consciousness.

Kaiketsu froze in place, his floridly orange eyes locked onto her. Then he scoffed. "Fine. Screw it." His jaw slammed shut on his words, his claws scraping against one another horribly as he turned away, breaking a path deeper into the woods.

The blade dispersed in Kaida's hand and she stumbled forwards, almost losing her footing. Her heart was pounding in her ears, ringing with shock and adrenaline. In the midst of everything that had happened to her in the last year, somehow this was more unexpected than all the other calamities.

Kaiketsu had walked away from her before. He had stormed off angrily in one way or another, and every time, she would go after him. But this time, she didn't want to. Perhaps it was an artifact of her guilt, her naiveté, that of all the things she could have overlooked, it had to be from the things closest to her; the satellite in her life that had always kept the closest orbit, while she always focused off into the void of the distant universe, fighting every battle within and without her reach…

Shoto, who had been silent throughout her entire exchange, touched her shoulder gently. "Kaida?"

"Don't," her voice quavered slightly. She turned to look at him, tears that threatened to betray her fragile composure pricking at her vision. Her eyes trailed down to Shoto's mangled cheek, and the blood that was starting to stain his jacket. She grabbed him by the wrist, and tugged him back towards the camp. "Come on. Let's get you cleaned up."

* * *

 **—** **Todoroki—**

The building had an infirmary, not too unlike Recovery Girl's office back at UA. It was unattended and quiet; the Pussycats had prepared some evening activities for the other students, out in the training field and surrounding woods. So Kaida led Shoto into the empty makeshift nurse's office, and shut the door behind her, uncontested.

"Sit."

Shoto knew better than to argue. He perched on the edge of one of the beds, much more plush than the gurneys they were used to. Kaida yanked impatiently at her messy hair, freeing it from what remained of the tie, and snatched the first-aid kit off of the table. She popped it open, deftly working at the latches and retrieving an antiseptic wipe. Tearing the wrapping open, she turned to Shoto, her face wrought with emotions still clashing and conflicting, not knowing which to express.

"That's gonna sting," he winced, looking uncertainly at the cloth in her hands.

"No, it won't." Kaida stepped directly in front of him and grabbed him by the collar of his jacket, sealing her lips over his. In the same motion, her other hand swiped across his cheek with the wipe, as her healing aura sealed the wound and streaked across her own face. She didn't even flinch at it, preoccupied with the rough kiss.

Taken by surprise, he broke their contact first, tipping his face out of her reach. "You know how I feel about you using your Quirk for me…" his hand brushed the now-clean spot on his jawline, before he reached up to brush a finger over the same spot on hers. "You didn't have to do that."

Kaida snatched his hand out of the air. "You've said that on several occasions now. Let me take care of you if I want to take care of you."

"If it's at your expense, then I don't want you to…" Shoto frowned. He knew she had a higher pain tolerance than most, but the idea of her taking on _his_ hardships rubbed him the wrong way.

"Shoto." Her eyes drilled into his. He half-expected her pupils to turn to slits and Elysium's fire to explode out around them. The chaos in her heart swam behind her piercing eyes, mixed with a myriad of emotions, which he still couldn't quite read. "Listen to me. I've made my choice." Her voice sounded strained. "Kaiketsu had no right to react the way he did. He doesn't respect my choice, and in honesty, I don't expect him to. But I do expect _you_ to."

"Kaida," he took her hand from the side of his face. "You know that I've already accepted you, and everything that means. There's no reason for you to doubt that."

Her fingers trembled and she curled her hand into a fist. "I told—"

"The only thing that I'm challenging you on is the pain that I see you going through," he interrupted. "I don't want to force you into a choice if it's a difficult choice. I know how much Hagane means to you."

She stilled. "I don't love him the way I love you," Kaida whispered. Her voice did not crack or waver.

 _She said it again._ The first time Shoto had heard those words leave her mouth was out in the woods, and she'd said it with so much startling conviction that it had almost scared him. But in the quietude of their privacy, it had so much more weight.

"I love you," she repeated, "and... and I want you to love me. It's selfish and perhaps even _childish_ to demand something like that, but—"

"There's nothing childish about you," Shoto smiled. "...and of course I see you in the same way. Of course I love you." He gently laced his fingers with hers, as she rested her forehead against his.

The intimacy of the moment didn't come as an ambush; not after the evolution of their courtship through the tension, the awkwardness, the silences, all the way through to the transparency they had come to share. He could see the soft blue of her eyes through her long lashes, the slight trembling of her lip from the tension in her jaw, and held her close. She drew a steadying breath in his embrace, and finally lifted her eyes to meet his. The troubled glow was subdued, leaving only one emotion remaining. She moved suddenly, wrapping herself around him and crashing her lips to his again.

He reciprocated her kiss this time, his heart racing at the sudden, primal nature of her advances. This was the eye of her storm; the night's confrontation had whipped up a tempest of emotions and elicited reactions that he didn't think he'd ever see from her, and he was receiving her straight from that turbulence.

He had held her close before, but she had never been _nearly_ so bold in initiation. Her lithe hands traveled over his broad shoulders, down his back, and he shivered at her touch — not uncomfortably. Heat was rising from his cheeks, and he was acutely aware of his building tension at her ministrations. "Kaida…" he murmured, "slow down. What you're doing—"

"I know what I'm doing." Her eyes flicked open, so intense, so _certain._ His heartbeat tripled; he had never dared to entertain the idea of where things would go from that point, and yet—

"Do you know what you want?" He held her face less than a blink's reach away, even as she strained against him.

"Do _you?_ " She challenged. Her stoic expression bore no trace of her bantering, playful tone she often took with him, replaced by a seriousness that was almost unfamiliar by then.

 ** _"_** ** _Wait."_**

Kaida stiffened. Her lips had moved again, but the voice that had just spoken echoed with an overtone that was not her own. The ethereal interruption seemed to cut through her mind, Elysium's presence seizing control so palpably that Shoto could see the scalene flare in her eyes for a moment before Kaida wrestled it under control, still clinging to him in a vice-like grip.

* * *

 **—** **Tamashini—**

Elysium had never _interrupted_ her like that, never shoved its way to the very forefront of her mind to take her over so completely. She knew it could sense the backlash in her waves of frustration, yet it still pushed on her with that sense of urgency. _What new complications do you have to present now, dragon?_

 ** _Outside._**

Gritting her teeth, Kaida pulled away and looked around. She found there was a tall window on one end of the room; crossing to it, she looked outside. She immediately noticed that the sky was much lighter than it had been when they'd gone indoors, the cloud cover illumined by an unnatural blue glow.

She peered into the dark tree line, made even more inscrutable by the contrasting glow reflecting off of the clouds. As the uneasiness wound its way into her chest, Kaida opened the window.

The air was thick with the scent of smoke — the forest was on fire.

* * *

 ** _Next chapter: Blackout_**


	14. XIV: Blackout

**AN: Late chapter because big chapter! Hope it's worth the wait. Be advised that this one does contain some moments of graphic violence and gore; discretion is advised.**

* * *

 **Chapter Fourteen: Blackout**

* * *

 **—Shigaraki—**

Each of the agents that they had deployed was fitted with a body camera and microphone, wired back to the main base. Tomura sat in front of his array of screens, nibbling on his grubby fingernails.

"What troubles you? You seem rather perturbed." His master rolled towards him on a motorized wheelchair, his questioning voice more wondering than condescending.

"Why am I not out there with them?" Tomura grumbled. "I'm far more competent than the lizard man and the _queer_ and that weird high schooler you've hired…"

"Perhaps." All for One rested his hand on Tomura's shoulder. "But we have our own preparations to make here. We shall observe for a bit to monitor and ensure their success in finding potential candidates for our journey to Chaos… but then we must begin our preparations for Erebus to make its move."

* * *

 **—Hagane—**

She wasn't following him. And right then, Kaiketsu didn't care.

 _She really was oblivious all this time? No way. No fucking way._ An arbitrary tree trunk was left with a series of claw marks as he went past it. Or maybe she didn't want to know. Maybe she was in denial about it.

 _And does she really think that bastard is better than me? How could she choose him, after all this time? After EVERYTHING we've been through?_ A growl rose in his throat. Another tree came by his path, and he swung at it with his full weight. His claws severed through the trunk and the remainder of the tree came crashing down in splinters. He stepped over it, slashing away the branches that stuck up to hinder him. He felt a sting on his wrist; a shard of wood had bit back, and a trail of blood was running down to his fingers. He wiped at it frustratedly, and kept stomping through the forest.

He realized that he'd been holding his breath through his clenched teeth, and was starting to feel light-headed. Rolling his shoulders and cracking his neck, he flexed his hand, listening to the creak of metal as he did so, and clicked his jaw along with it. To some, the sounds would have been grating, but to him, it was something to focus on, something to ground him; a sound that could punctuate through his troubled thoughts and drag his senses back to reality.

There was a small clearing coming up ahead, likely established by someone else's training earlier in the day. Kaiketsu paused just within the tree-line, leaning against the trunk of a tree. Slowing down physically had started to slow his thoughts.

 _Perhaps she's not the only one to blame for this situation._ He closed his eyes, letting the fire in his blood cool down. _Maybe it's my own damn fault, for never pursuing her properly. Hell… if_ I _never said anything, it's kinda stupid for me to have expected her to tell me anything in return._

But then again, what was there to return? After all this time, their friendship was part of the everyday rhythm, to the point where both of them had started to take things for granted. _And if I wanted something else from her, I should have spoken up sooner._ As the gears turned in his head and he continued to sift through the evening's events, his frustration turned from Todoroki and Kaida, towards himself.

 _Why didn't I?_

He strode into the clearing and found a tree stump there. His claws slowly retracted back into his hands as he sat, resting his elbows on his knees. Looking up at the night sky, he thought he saw a tinge of blue from above the trees. He dismissed it as his imagination playing tricks on him… and he didn't want to entertain the idea of whatever would come of it if she were actually following him. In his heart, he knew she wouldn't. She was probably back at the camp by then, taking care of Todoroki. And that was _definitely_ directly Kaiketsu's fault. He growled again, less in frustration this time and more as an apathetic release.

"Whatever's done is done… I'll pick up the pieces later," he said, aloud.

A giggle startled him, unfamiliar and with a distinctly feminine lilt. He looked around, irritated at this new, uninvited company.

"Who's there? The hell are you snickering about?"

"Now this one here… hehe."

Kaiketsu thought he saw a glint of metal from behind the trees. "I'm not in the mood for this," he muttered. "What do you want?"

"Welllll…" a petite figure slipped into view, stepping into the moonlight of the clearing so that he could see her clearly. She was a girl roughly his age, with pale blonde hair done up in two messy buns on either side of her head. Her hands rested on the piped black mask around her neck, which was connected to some strange contraption on her back. She grinned at him with pearly-white teeth, her incisors unnaturally pointed; paired with her large, yellow eyes, she had a distinctly feline grin, the countenance with which a cat regards a cornered mouse. But Kaiketsu glowered back, unfazed.

"I don't know you," he stated plainly. "Whatever business you have, deal with it somewhere else."

"But _you're_ the business!" The girl pouted, but broke into her grin a microsecond later. Her cheeks turned rosy as she tipped her head to the side. "And I know _you_. You're on the list… but the list didn't say Hagane-kun would be so _cute_!"

His brow twitched. "Look, I don't know what you're going on about, but—"

 _"Mwah~!"_

In the blink of an eye, a syringe-gun shot out from the girl's side and nicked Kaiketsu in the arm. It retracted back towards her before he could grab at it, and he saw the distinct hue of his blood in its chamber. _What the hell?_ He jumped to his feet, his Quirk reactivating to encase his hands and spike his fingers. The girl shifted her weight from foot to foot, still grinning at him, before she slowly pulled her mask up. Through the thick fabric and machinery, her voice was harder to make out, even as he charged at her.

"Does this mean we can be friends…?" She dodged his swing, moving so fast that she was practically a blur. Kaiketsu's mind started racing. _I can't properly engage her without knowing what her Quirk is…!_ She giggled. "Nice to meet you. I'm Toga!" Then she was suddenly behind him, and delivered a swinging kick to the side of his head.

It wasn't particularly strong enough to cause any real damage, especially with Kaiketsu's reinforced skeleton, but it hit him fast and hard, catching him off-guard and reeling. By the time he shook himself and turned, he saw her blonde hair disappearing into the trees.

"Get back here!" Clenching his jaw, Kaiketsu looked up at the sky. He definitely wasn't imagining that blue glow. And at this point, he knew it definitely wasn't Kaida.

As the clearing began to fill with smoke, he gave chase.

* * *

 **—Midoriya—**

"Pixie-bob!" Izuku started to charge, his Quirk activating and his heart racing. He was stopped by Aizawa's restraints, pulling him back towards the huddle of his other classmates who were remaining in the clearing. "Aizawa, we have to help her!"

"Not _we,_ " Aizawa was lifting his goggles over his eyes. "You students are to stay put and let the heroes deal with this situation."

"What's happening?" Mineta wailed.

Minutes ago, the students had been gathered in the training clearing, pairing up to venture into the woods for a "Test of Courage." They were laughing with excitement and anticipation, arguing about who would get to be with who, or planning out traps for the other class once it came theirturn to lurk in the shadows—

And then suddenly the forest was on fire, and the laughter and conversation had dispersed into distant screams and unfamiliar roars. Before them, Pixie-bob was prone on the ground, a villain's boot planted on the side of her head. Her visor was cracked and broken, bits of glass stuck in her hair and blood trailing across her half-closed eyes. Two other villains flanked them; villains that Izuku had never before seen or heard of.

 _Who are they? How did they find us?_

"How dare you." A dangerously low voice echoed above Mineta's whimpering. His massive frame shook with rage, the Pussycats' uniform looking very out-of-place on his muscular body.

* * *

 **Pro Hero: Tiger**

 **Quirk: Pliabody  
** **Aside from being incredibly strong, he is able to stretch, flatten, and bend his body in seemingly impossible ways.**

* * *

"That woman there…" Tiger marched towards the villain who was looming over Pixie-bob. The villain was broad-shouldered enough on his own, but in Tiger's shadow, they lost all semblance of intimidation. "That woman there is a very respectable woman. A woman who has begun to concern herself over the matter of marriage. A woman who prides herself on her looks, even as she leaves the days of absolute youth behind her… how _dare_ you scar her face like that?!" With a roar, he threw himself forwards, launching at the villain and tackling them to the ground.

 ** _"Everyone,"_** Mandalay's voice broadcasted into Izuku's mind. **_"We are under attack — I repeat, we are under attack! This is not a drill! If you are able to return to camp, please do so at once!"_**

Izuku looked at the classmates beside him. He didn't know the students of Class B well enough to be able to tell who was missing in particular, but there were only three or four of them present, Monoma included. Of his classmates, Izuku had seen many go off into the forest, in pairs — Iida, Uraraka, Koda, and Kirishima had apparently heard Mandalay's summons and were rushing back into the clearing, but many had yet to make their reappearance.

"Eraser," Ragdoll said, urgently. "The remedial studies students back at base, Vlad is still with them; but there are _fifteen_ students still out in the woods…" she frowned worriedly.

"We'll have to entrust the base's safety to Vlad," Aizawa said. "As for the students in the forest, once we subdue the immediate threat here, I will go out and start searching for them."

"I'll come with you, too!" Ragdoll clenched her fists.

"Ragdoll," Mandalay ran up to the two, breathless. "Where is Kota? He was supposed to join us here tonight, but he never came… Is he safe, at the base?"

Ragdoll furrowed her brow. "Just a moment…" She closed her eyes briefly, concentrating as she employed her Search. Then she bit her lip, and glanced at Mandalay. "He's… at his usual spot. On the mountainside cliff vista."

Mandalay's face turned in terror. **_"KOTA! Kota, if you can hear me too, please come back as fast as you can!"_** Her hand trembled as she pressed her fingers to her temple. "I have to go get him," she bit her lip.

"I'll go." Izuku spoke up. All eyes turned to him.

"Midoriya," Aizawa gritted his teeth. "I already told you that dealing with the active situation is a job for the heroes, not the students."

"The others can probably fend for themselves in the meantime, out there in the woods," Izuku continued, "but Kota doesn't have any kind of combat training. Mandalay, your teammates need you here… but I can go get Kota."

"Are you even _listening_ to me?" Aizawa's eyes flashed red beneath his visor.

"With all due respect, teacher!" Izuku grasped the restraints around his arms tightly, his knuckles straining. "You said so yourself, not too long ago… in times like this, we need more heroes. And if I can play that role now, isn't that why you had me do that licensing exam?"

"He has a point," Ragdoll said, quietly.

Aizawa growled. "We don't have time to argue on this. Fine. Just go. Don't do anything stupid."

Izuku nodded firmly. "Yes, sir." He clenched his hands.

"Deku-kun?" Uraraka's worried voice reached his ears for a moment, but he didn't have time to assuage her worries — he'd have to leave that to Iida.

His Quirk fired through his body, and he took off at a boosted sprint, leaving the others behind him.

* * *

 **—Tamashini—**

"But _how,_ though?" Her head was spinning, blood pounding in her ears as she burst out of the building, leaving the doors to slam against the wall in her wake. Shoto was not far behind her.

 _"I know not,"_ Elysium said gravely. _"But what matters is that you deal with the threat at present — there will be time enough to ask questions later."_

"This wouldn't have been an issue if I was better able to integrate as of late," she hissed in reply, aloud. "The forest is on _fire,_ for god's sake. This isn't some random accident, it's clearly an organized—"

"Kaida," Shoto grabbed her by the arm and spun her around, holding her steady. "Slow down." She stopped pacing and rooted herself still. Her distress was still imminent, evidenced by the burning aura she could feel flaring around her. Light flashed in her eyes, and she repressed the urge to tear herself away from Shoto's grasp and just let loose the dragon then and there. "It's not your fault for not being able to detect this attack."

"At fault or not, it's still my responsibility."

"It's not your responsibility, either!" His voice was surprisingly hard. He narrowed his eyes. "You have a _choice_. You're not accountable or expected to always throw yourself into danger at the first sign of it."

"I _choose_ to protect the people I love," she stepped closer to him, defiant. "And I chose to protect the people of this world. That's a choice I have to stand by."

Shoto gritted his teeth in frustration. He rested his forehead on the top of her head, and she could feel his tension and conflicted emotions. For a moment, she closed her eyes. _How was it, that just a few moments ago…?_

"At least let me come with you."

"I have to find Kaiketsu," she said, quietly. "We didn't part on good terms just now, but I don't know what I would do if something happens to him in the wake of… all that." Placing her hands around his wrists, she squeezed tightly. "I want you by my side, more than you can know. But I need you to find the heroes and help them defend the others before you come on this hunt in the woods. Please. I need you to do this for me." She felt herself tremble slightly. It was a lot to ask, in the wake of the escalating situation. He was quiet for a moment.

"I do know." He tipped his head to the side, so that he could look into her face. "And because I have that faith in you, in what you stand for and in what _we_ stand for, I'll do as you say."

Kaida kissed him, letting a moment's relief wash over her. "Thank you," she whispered.

"Be safe," he replied.

She nodded, and took a couple of steps back. _Now's the time, dragon. You've had enough rest… lend me your strength._ She spread the ethereal wings from her back, and launched herself into the air, spreading her awareness outwards, searching —and praying.

* * *

 **—Midoriya—**

Izuku's stomach turned over. It was not the first time, and it would not be the last time, that he knew he couldn't save _everyone._ But the reality of it was far more jarring than the acceptance beforehand.

As he ran, he'd heard the distant sounds of battle cutting through the woods, the unfamiliar shouts of villains intermingled with a high-pitched scream of a student, but through the thick night and dense smoke rising from the forest fire, he knew that it would be futile to try and pinpoint any of them. He had to focus on what was laid out before him: he knew where Kota would be, and making it to his destination was a task that he was capable of, a certainty that was not shared with the impossibility of tracking down all the other students in the woods.

But as he got to the base of the crags where Kota's hideout was, the stench of blood fouled the air to an extent that Izuku could not ignore. To make matters worse, it was deathly silent. Whomever, or whatever, had been fighting there, was there no longer.

Izuku slowed to a halt, scanning the cliffside. _Damn_ , he cursed internally, _doesn't look like there's a way up here… Kota must take some alternate path up the mountain or—_

He spotted something inconsistent in the patterns on the cliff face. It was too dark to quite make out what it was, so he took several steps closer, reaching his hand out before him. As soon as he touched the rocky surface, he recoiled immediately. It was _sticky._ The clouds above parted then, casting the moonlight down to illuminate the landscape, and Izuku could not refrain from letting out a squeak of horror. There was a long smear along the wall, stretching a few meters along its length. It was, unmistakably, blood.

Izuku reeled backwards, retched, and lost his dinner.

Scattered at the base of the wall… hands, hands with various appendages at the end, ranging from ears to eyes, gaping and glazed over. There was only one person Izuku could think of who they could belong to, and there he was — or at least, what remained of, Shoji. Izuku's classmate was mauled almost beyond recognition, save for his familiar neck-scarf, drenched in his own blood.

Myriad reactions swept over Izuku.

 _What's happening?_

 _Why is this happening?_

 _Is this beyond me? Am I just going to end up like him?_

 ** _No._**

His vision blurred for a moment, and the shadowed figures that often haunted his dreams flashed before his eyes, so quickly that by the time he blinked, they were gone.

"No." He said, aloud. His cracked voice betrayed his scattered mind, but the conviction of his predecessors surged through his body. He felt a strength in his limbs that exceeded the power he had channeled in the past, and he took a step away from the wall, tearing his eyes from the corpse before him. And then, just as they had before, his limbs moved without him.

He yelped as he realized that he had launched high into the air, high enough to clear the distance from the ground vertically to the first terraced ledge above him. So he let his mind clear through the sudden adrenaline and strength, taking one leap of great magnitude after another, until he cleared the cliff altogether.

There was a wide, flattened area at the top of the cliff. A rocky overhang sheltered a good portion of it from the elements, but at the time, it was serving as a trap. Cowering against the far wall, Izuku could make out Kota's distinctive cap. Looming before the boy was a huge man, whose arms rippled with exposed muscle mass. He was _laughing_ , the twisted polar opposite of what All Might's noble, inspiring laugh once was; it was the laugh of a monster relishing in his own gruesome handiwork.

"What's that supposed to be?" He sneered. Kota spouted little streams of water from his hands. "What a pathetic Quirk! To think that _you're_ the kid of those heroes I killed a long time ago? Of course they'd birth a runt of a kid like you. Let me do natural selection a favour and—"

Gravity took over and Izuku shot down from above, landing in a shower of dirt and rocks between the villain and Kota.

"Back away!" Izuku declared; both to Kota and his adversary.

"Wh-what do you think you're doing?" The boy barked, bravely. "You can't possibly beat this guy! He— he'll just kill you, too, just like—just like…" He covered his mouth, stifling a sob.

"Listen to the runt, kid," the villain grinned. "Before you end up another smear on the wall."

"'Another' smear?" Izuku's eyes widened in realization. He raised his fists, trembling with anger. "You… You… Whatever you think you'll accomplish here; I won't let you scare us out our faith and hope in one another!"

"Bloody hells," the villain groaned, "you're a self-righteous little shit, aren't ya? I couldn't be fucked to care if you're on the list or not at this point." He rolled his shoulders, and his visible tendons and muscles bulged even more. As he tipped his head back and laughed with the surge of strength from his augmentative Quirk, Izuku noticed that his left eye had been replaced by a prosthetic. "Let's get on with it, then — we haven't got all night, you know." In the blink of an eye, he dashed at Izuku, with so much speed and force that Izuku could feel the slight pull of wind pressure as the attack approached. Still empowered by his own Quirk, Izuku dashed backwards. He twisted in the air, scooping Kota up in his arms as he flew clear of the overhang area, and down to one of the lower terraces. The spiked cap flew off of the young boy's head, only to be smashed into the wall behind where they had stood.

Kota was shaking violently in Izuku's grip. His face was pale and his eyes watered as he beat his fists ineffectually against Izuku's arm. "Put me down! We're both going to die anyways! Just stop and—"

"If that's what you think is the case," Izuku did set the boy down, but ruffled his hair and smiled, "then don't you think we should at least go out fighting?"

"That's all heroes are good for, aren't they?" Kota shouted in Izuku's face. "Going out and _dying_! It's all about just killing and dying to you."

Izuku's head throbbed violently. He staggered, and the world swam before his eyes. Then when he blinked to try and clear the dizziness, he was swept away from the cliff altogether, and found himself suspended in space, a thin haze separating him from reality.

 _Squinting against his blurred vision, Izuku could make out a city street before him. The scene began to move in fast- motion, surreal and yet so definitive. A peaceful, ordinary landscape transitioned into chaos and destruction. Ruined vehicles were scattered across the asphalt; bodies of civilians and heroes laid about here and there. And right before Izuku…_

 ** _"'Water Hose,' isn't it?" The villain laughs, coughing up a spray of blood. Two heroes stand over him, dressed in matching uniforms. "How charming. A young, cute couple like you, fighting crime together. You must think you're unstoppable as long as you have one another, or something disgustingly sweet along those lines, no?"_**

 ** _"Save it, Muscular," the woman snaps. "Enough talk. You've wrought so much destruction here as it is… just come quietly now, and no more violence needs to come to pass."_**

 ** _The villain starts to laugh again, hoarsely._**

 ** _Time begins to move faster again — the villain is on his feet, and with a surge of power, his Quirk redoubles and his muscles rippled out from under his skin. He begins to trade blows again with the heroes…_**

 ** _The scene flickers to a halt. The two heroes are strapped down to gurneys and being loaded into ambulances. The villain is unconscious, bleeding profusely from the obscured half of his face even as the authorities arrive and detain him._**

 ** _One last image: a boy, standing between two bodies, in a funeral home. His voice trembles._**

 ** _"M…Mom? Dad?"_**

"Well?"

Kota's voice in the present snapped Izuku back into reality. He winced, dazed by the series of visions. _What was that?_ He looked around — it seemed like no time had passed, and yet…?

* * *

 **One for All**

 **Ability: Echo  
** **Upon certain triggers, Echo enables the user to replay a series of pivotal scenes from a target's past.**

* * *

The now-familiar flicker at the back of his mind caught Izuku's attention. _Of course, at a time like_ this _, another ability would manifest._

Izuku heard the villain moving on the ledge above them. He clenched his fist, and took a deep breath. "We… we'll all die some day, Kota. Some of us sooner than we ought to, maybe. But the point of being a hero isn't about being able to pick and choose how you die. A hero's death isn't lauded because they went out doing something amazing — heroes are amazing because of everything they do in every day they _live_. So that's how I try to go about my life; one day at a time, accomplishing one thing at a time. And you know what I'm gonna do now?"

"...Wh-what?"

"I'm going to save _you._ "

Kota's eyes widened. He opened his mouth to reply, but cried out instead, as a shower of rubble came down on the two of them. Izuku scooped Kota back up into his arms again, dashing out of the way of the landslide as the villain came to a halton their terrace.

"You're 'Muscular,' aren't you?" Izuku stood between the villain and the boy once more.

" _Oh,_ what a lucky guess," the villain sneered in reply. "But if you know my name, then I suppose my reputation must precede me… Killing and dying? That's _my_ kinda game, kid."

"No more," Izuku's voice cracked. "No more killing."

Muscularcackledwith laughter. "Was only a matter of time before you started pissin' yourself, I suppose. The good line here would be 'oh, in that case I guess I'll make it quick for ya,' but… I like to _relish_ in my kills, y—"

" _Shut up!"_

"Hm?"

Fire burned in Izuku's chest, and his head still throbbed. He was aware of the violent red and green sparks lancing across his limbs as his Quirk ramped up. "People like you go around ruining lives for _fun_ , and it's… it's disgusting. I know heroes should never take comfort in violence, but… but I, for one, don't have any reservations about taking you out."

"Nice." Muscular grinned. "Let's have at it then, _boy._ "

Izuku nodded. "We—"

With a sickening squelching noise, the villain's sinewed arms bulged again, thicker than tree trunks, and he lashed out at Izuku. The boy felt something crack as the villain's fist collided with the side of Izuku's face, and he went sprawling back against the wall, blood dripping down his shattered cheekbone.

"No monologuing, wanna-be hero," Muscular tutted.

Izuku gasped, picking himself up. He knew that it ought to hurt a lot more than it did in actuality, but the shock of the blow was absorbing most of the pain. _Fine, then_. When muscular lunged forwards again, Izuku was ready. He met the punch with a sturdy block of his own; through the strength of One for All he was able to withstand the blow unharmed, but skidded back a few feet along the cliff-side. A defensive strategy wasn't going to cut it.

The vigor from his Quirk was still racing through Izuku's veins. He bared his teeth, and let it take over.

 **One for All… FULL POWER!**

In the next instant he swung, with an uppercut that sent cracks along the stone beneath and around them. An immense vortex of wind was whipped up around Izuku's fist, and he felt many of the small bones in his arm shatter from the recoil. His exclamation of pain was drowned out by the explosive noise left in the wake of his attack, which was followed with abrupt silence, save the falling of dust and debris.

About twenty meters away, Muscular had been knocked into a deep crack in the cliff face where he was embedded, his head lolled to the side and one good eye staring sightlessly into space. He was motionless and silent.

"You…" Kota's small voice reached Izuku's ears. "You actually… defeated him."

Izuku could hardly believe it himself. He kept his eyes on Muscular for a few moments more, until he was assured of the lack of movement or consciousness, before turning to Kota. He stooped down gingerly, and nodded, painfully aware of how much of a mess he must look to the younger boy, with his mangled face now caked in blood and dust and his right arm hanging limply by his side, but he reached his good hand out to Kota. "Yep. But it's still not safe out here. Will you let me take you back to camp?"

Kota bobbled his head obediently, without so much as a single quip. Izuku turned. "Climb on my back, then. And hold on tight, cuz I'm gonna go fast."

The next moments found the two of them zipping back down the mountain, Izuku's legs empowered by his Full Cowling to grant them the speed he'd promised to Kota. Izuku was careful to avoid the gristly scene he'd witnessed at the base of the mountain, but soon realized that back-tracking was an incredibly difficult endeavor within the endless forest. The smoke from the forest fire was doing his lungs no favors, and by Kota's stifled coughs, Izuku could tell that the young boy was faring no better.

"Let's rest a bit and catch our breath," he decided, and stopped in a small copse of bushes. "Lie flat on the ground, below the smoke-line." Kota did so, and Izuku proned himself out amidst the grass as well, gulping in the slightly cleaner air. "We won't linger too long, but—"

"Midoriya? What are you doing out here?"

Izuku turned at the address and swept Kota behind him again instinctively, only to see Kendo emerging from the forest. Beside her were two of her classmates, Tetsutetsu and Shiozaki. "And what happened to your _face?"_

"I uh… got in a fight," Izuku blinked. "You three should hurry back to camp, though. It's dangerous out here… there are villains about."

"We know," Shiozaki said grimly, her mouth a straight line. "But right now, we're trying to avoid one of our own. Well, one of _your_ own." Her words were accompanied by a distant crashing noise amidst the trees.

"What?" Izuku furrowed his brow.

"It's Tokoyami," Tetsutetsu explained. "Seems his Quirk is outta control… he wiped out a couple o' villains back there, but Dark Shadow seemed to be just striking out at anything and everything."

"We have to go back for him!" Izuku pushed past them, heading toward the direction where the chaos unfolded. "Whatever it takes, we can't just leave him out here…"

"Midoriya, wait—!" Kendo tried to stop him, but Izuku was already striking through the trees.

"Kota, stay with them, and stay hidden," he insisted,before accelerating his advance with his Quirk.

The moonlight grew brighter, and Izuku soon realized that it was due to the deforestation in a large swathe of land. The trees that had stood tall, canopy blocking out the sky, were strewn about everywhere. There were a few bodies scattered here and there between the splintered lumber, and at the center of it all, a massive creature, looming above the remaining trees and roaringat the night sky. Beneath, red eyes strained and trembling, was Tokoyami, completely wreathed in Dark Shadow.

"Stay back!" he shouted, immediately spotting Izuku emerging from the tree-line. "I c-can't… I can't stop him!"

"No, I won't leave you—!" Izuku reached his hand out to the Dark Shadow. His eyes widened in amazement as he watched three orbs of bright light shoot out from his outstretched hand. They flew directly in front ofTokoyami, before coming to a halt and detonating in a burst of an even brighter light and a deafening screwed his eyes shut, a moment too late.

* * *

 **One for All**

 **Ability: Flashbang  
** **Allows the user to produce explosive light sources.**

* * *

In the wake of the explosive noise, all Izuku could hear was the ringing in his ears. _Damn, I could've blown an eardrum…_

"Urgh. M… Midoriya?" Faintly, he heard Tokoyami calling his name.

Izuku cautiously opened his eyes. Compared to the brightnessa moment ago, the forest was too darkto make anything out at first, but then he saw Tokoyami's distinct bird-shaped head in silhouette, approaching dizzily.

"Tokoyami… are you alright?"

The raven boy was breathing heavily, swaying on his feet. "I think so. I…" His eyes wandered over the bodies of the villains strewed out between the trees. "God, damn it…" He clenched his fist.

"Tokoyami, don't fault yourself for having to resort to violence." Kendo emerged from the tree that she had sheltered behind. Shiozaki and Tetsutetsu were at her side. "You _saved_ us all. That's what you need to focus on… and even though you lost control of your Quirk, you were still able to protect us." The others nodded their agreement at her words.

Tearing his eyes away from the wreckage, Tokoyami gritted his teeth. "Your words of consolation are appreciated, Kendo. I shall try to take it to heart. In the meantime…"

Izuku carefully let Kota slide to the ground. "You three take him back to the camp and meet up with the others. I'm going to keep searching the woods to see if I can find their ringleader."

"W-what?" Kota squeaked. "That's not safe! Going out there all on your own is just stupid, you know!"

"If I know my friends," Izuku smiled, and immediately winced at the broken bones in his face, "Kaida and Todoroki will be out there somewhere too. I won't be alone — I'm going to back them up."

Kendo nodded, and took Kota by the hand."Go then, Midoriya," she said. "I'll make sure this lot makes it back."

* * *

 **—Todoroki—**

 _Damn it all_.

The smoke was getting thicker, and the blaze had spread dangerously far across the woods. Shoto had torn off a long strip of his jacket to act as a makeshift mask to filter out the worst of the smoke, but his lungs still burned and his eyes stung furiously.

After his rendezvous with the heroes and his other classmates, he decided to take advantage of his newly-acquired provisional hero privileges and set out in an attempt to follow Kaida. But the further he cut through the woods, the more it seemed a fruitless endeavor; after all, he had little to go off of in terms of tracking ability. _But I have to try._ He pressed onwards. _If I am to stand by her side… I'll find her._

"Hm. Fancy meeting _you_ here…"

An unfamiliar voice set him on edge. He turned around, lighting his own fire and readying a bolt of ice. "Who's there?"

The blue flames that flickered amidst the trees parted, and a tall figure stepped through the charred ground towards Shoto. His hair was a dark, spiked mop, the same jet-black as his clothing, but more distinctively, the stranger was covered in scars; burned skin that had never healed properly, stitched to what remained of his normal skin by small medical staples, which reflected the light of the fires. He glanced over Shoto, gaze resting on his left.

"Mastering your own fire is one thing, but tracing another to its source is something far easier said than done. Perhaps I'll consider it luck that we've crossed paths here."

"I don't know you." Shoto narrowed his eyes at the man: _obviously_ a villain. By the way the blue fires had behaved, Shoto was fairly certain that this villain was also the cause of the inferno that was tearing through the trees. "But if my hunch is correct, if I take you down, it ought to take care of the forest fire, too. It's getting out of hand."

The stranger scoffed. "You underestimate me. I'm completely in control of the reach of my flames… the purpose here was to create a messenough to limit you and yours from interfering too much with the master's plans." Abruptly, his countenance changed. The fire swept away from them, receding into a ring a comfortable distance away before blazing up to separate them from the rest of the forest. He then reached up, plucking what looked like a communications device from his right ear, and proceeded to set it alight. Watching apathetically, he tossed the melted remains over his shoulder. "But now, we can talk."

Shoto blinked in confusion. "Talk? This is very likely to be some sort of setup. How am I supposed to know that your accomplices aren't waiting for me to drop my guard and—"

"How would I have the means to contact them?" The man approached, turning his head to either side and shrugging his jacket open to prove his lack of a hidden microphone. "I ditched the camera earlier. Don't waste my time. If I ditz around too long here they'll start wondering what happened to me, especially since my line went dark." He narrowed his eyes. "If I wanted to kill you, I already would have. You're no match for me."

Shoto gritted his teeth. He wasn't a fool, he knew that the stranger was right. What other choice did he have but to entertain the man's demand? "Tell me who you are, then."

"You can call me 'Dabi' for now." He smirked,putting his hands into his pockets.

* * *

 **Dabi**

 **Quirk: Cremation  
** **Grants the user pyrokinetic abilities. His fires burn far hotter than normal fire, and he is able to produce and control the flames with little to no physical exertion or effort.**

* * *

"And I know your name already, so don't bother, Shoto."

"What… how—?"

Dabi waved his hand dismissively. "That's not important right now. What's more important is that you know what's happening here… and what the next phase entails. Listen carefully, and quickly."

Shoto's knuckles cracked as he balled his fingers into fists. It was all almost too much to process. If this man was a villain, what motive could he possibly have to be disclosing anything at all to Shoto — and what could Shoto take as proof that Dabi's words were the truth? In spite of himself, he nodded.

Dabi produced a piece of folded paper from the pocket of his jacket. "Take this, first and foremost. It's an address." Shoto stepped forwards and took the slip of paper. Surely enough, there was a street name and number scrawled across it, in barely-legible handwriting. "A warehouse on the outskirts of the city. If the Tamashini girl isn't able to stop us here, that's where you'll find the rest of the operation. I can assume you are familiar with All for One and the League?"

"…Yes." Shoto kept his reply short.

"Alright. Then I needn't say more about his motives and who he serves, but I will inform you of his intent. As he prepares for Erebus' rising, this vanguard force was deployed to take prisoners. Anyone they succeed in capturing is likely not someone who will be seen again in this world… at least not for a _very_ long time. I don't have the leisure to explain to you what that means at the present."

"What the hell am I supposed to do with this information?"

"Whatever you can." Dabi stared down at Shoto. His blue eyes were cold and resolute. The longer he stared, the longer Shoto felt that he was on the verge of recognizing this stranger. "Protect those that you can… this is a battle that All for One _will_ win. At the same time, that doesn't mean you'll be wholly helpless. Don't squander this token of good faith, Shoto. Be _smart._ You have it in you."

"Who _are_ you?" Shoto snapped. "By the way you talk, it's like you're familiar with me."

"I am," Dabi laughed, quipping back in a matter-of-fact tone. "The truth of things will be made evident eventually. In time. But right now… we're out of time. Go back to your allies. You'll be of no use to anyone if you burn to a crisp out here."

"Wait." Shoto took another step forwards, but Dabi was turning away. He glanced over his shoulder once, an unreadable smile on his lips, before an explosive wall of blue flames surged between them. Shoto leapt back from the combustion,his instincts kicking in in the wake of the unexpected blaze.

Moments later, the fire subsided. By then, Dabi had disappeared.

 **—Tamashini—**

Kaida was hot on his trail; she was sure of it. She winged her way through the trees far less gracefully than she'd have liked, but in her hybrid transformation she was still not quite adept at flight.

 ** _"You must maintain discretion until you discern their intentions."_**

 _I know._ Elysium's advice was superfluous. _It could very well be me that they're after. Regardless, I can't leave things without my own intervention._

 ** _"Don't lie to yourself. This is about your childhood friend. It's your guilt that drives you on."_**

Kaida gritted her teeth. _Guilt or otherwise… I have to do this._

 ** _"…I shall not deny you that."_**

Distracted by the dialogue, Kaida yelped as she clipped a particularly odd-hanging tree branch. Losing her aerial balance, she went careening sideways, crashing into a tree and falling to the forest floor. Picking herself up along with what remained of her pride, she ruffled her ethereal wings and started to take off again.

"Kaida?"

She froze, pinions tented above her, and turned to the source of the voice. Through the trees,she saw a familiar face, wide orange eyes staring at her as the shafts of moonlight caught the steel along his jaw. His surprise lasted only a split second more before he turned a shoulder away from her.

"Wait, Kaiketsu—!" He was headed away from her briskly, and it was all she could do to press through the brambles and follow him, ignoring the sting of branchesas they whipped at her face.

Kaiketsu was striding along purposefully. He didn't entertain her with so much as another word, even as she started to close the distance between them. She began to grow frustrated. " _Wait,_ damnit!" She loosed a tongue of fire that snaked around him, blocking his further retreat. Finally, he stopped in his tracks.

They had come to a gentle incline on the mountainside, where the forest was less dense and the ground more populated by shrubbery than thick trees. Kaida fought her way out of the brambles and put her hands on her knees, a short distance away from Kaiketsu in the small clearing. Though she had yet to catch her breath, she approached him once more.

When he turned to face her, the expression on his face had completely changed. He stared at her with a look of glazed wanderlust, and chuckled. "Hm… I think I can understand now. Tamashini-chan is very pretty, isn't she? I'd like to wear her face, I think."

 _'Tamashini?'_ Kaida narrowed her eyes. Kaiketsu never called her that. "Wha… what's gotten into you?"

"Hagane-kun looked so very upset just now, you know," he said. "Did you break his poor heart? Not very nice of you…"

"Who are you?" Kaida snapped. As off-guard as she was, it was evident that this was _not_ Kaiketsu.

The impostor laughed, the voice turning distinctly feminine. Kaiketsu's face melted away into a grey slime, which dripped to the ground and vanished. The facade revealed a girl about their age, wearing a sailor's school uniform of all things. She bared her pointed teeth in a sweet smile.

* * *

 **Himiko Toga**

 **Quirk: Transform  
** **By ingesting the blood of another, she's able to take on their appearance, even including their clothes and voice.**

* * *

Kaida's blade sprang to life in her hand. She leveled it at the blonde girl, running out of patience. "I don't have time to waste with you. Get out of my way."

Toga looked wounded. "Oh. That's kind of mean. Things are just getting _fun_ , you know?"

"I won't warn you twice." Kaida lunged forwards, slashing at the girl's legs in an attempt to incapacitate her. But Toga was _fast._ She dodged back deftly, whipping out her own set of knives from the pouches at her flanks.

"If we fight, does that mean we can be friends?" She giggled gleefully, and Kaida barely deflected the knives thrown at her. She felt one graze her shoulder, leaving a sharp sting.

Then from above, a glint caught her eye. She jumped away, her wings expediting her retreat as a flurry of long, dangerously sharp metal prongs buried themselves in the ground she'd occupied moments ago. Suspended by the same appendages, a tall figure loped out of the trees, swinging himself well above ground-level. Kaida's stomach turned as she noticed that the spires of metal were emerging from the man's mouth, where his lips were peeled back by metal bracers. He was similarly clad in a straightjacket, all other defining features masked by black cloth.

* * *

 **Moonfish**

 **Quirk: Bladetooth  
** **His teeth can hyperextend and transform into blades of metal, strong enough to carry him across the ground and sharp enough to slice through an opponent.**

* * *

"Toga…" the man's voice was slightly distorted by his gaping mouth. "We've lost contact with Dabi, Spinner, Muscular, and Mustard. We should fall back to the others."

Toga looked up and pouted. "No fun! Why can't the others handle themselves?" She crossed her arms. Kaida stood perfectly still, assessing her two opponents. _No way can I take them both on without a shift._

The new villain turned towards Kaida. "Oh… it's her. You're going to be a problem if we don't deal with you." He contemplated this for a moment, and Kaida made her move. Her wings grew to their full size and she lunged for Toga as the transformation completed, ignoring the fresh flurry of blades that glanced her flanks.

Fear flashed across Toga's round face as the dragon flew at her, and dropped to the ground, rolling so that Kaida flew past. The shrubbery was flattened as Kaida maneuvered, turning around. The man was skittering towards her like a humanoid insect with legs of steel, and she whipped her tail around, clipping him out of the air. He went tumbling to the ground, falling out of sight behind a young tree.

"Kaida, stop it!"

She whipped her head around at the familiar voice. Her scalene eyes widened as she saw Kaiketsu standing before her, reaching his hand out imploringly. Then the wind drifted — his scent was all _wrong_ ; it had to be another of the girl's tricks. _But what if there was some mistake? What if I—_

In her moment of hesitation, branches of steel exploded out from the bush where the man had fallen. She beat her wings, taking to the air as the razors flew at her, but they immediately jackknifedin a new direction, unnaturally forking to spear her out of her ascent. A roar caught in her throat as the blades found their mark, slicing through her wings, her chest, her legs; it was _cripplingly_ painful, and she felt her muscles fail her. She hit the ground and her form dwindled away, leaving her helplessly on the forest floor. She gasped for air, only to find another surge of pain. Two of the man's horrifically long blades still pierced her body, pinning her to the ground. "Kaiketsu" walked over, bending over to look down at Kaida as the impersonation melted away again into Toga's yellow-eyed smile.

"Okayyy… I guess we can go now."

The man had picked himself up and approached as well, glancing down. His teeth slid back into his mouth, and he grinned in satisfaction at Kaida's whimperof pain. "Let's make haste." They disappeared from the periphery of Kaida's vision, and she heard them running away through the forest.

Kaida struggled to think straight, and she could feel her blood beginning to soak her clothes. _I can't let them go…_

 _How did she know to take Kaiketsu's form? Could this mean they have him?_

Elysium offered her no response. Instead, she felt a brief surge of returned vitality, and took advantage of it to roll to her feet, pressing her hand to the jagged wound in her side. She realized that the dragon's silence was likely due to it channeling its strength into sustaining hers. _Thank you…_ she thought, gratefully. And then she started staggering after the two villains.

It wasn't hard to keep to their trail; the man's preferred mode of locomotion was evidently using his blades as stilted legs, which left many scars on the trees in his wake. Even with Elysium's support,Kaida was limping heavily, and her breath was hard to come by; the villain must have nicked one of her lungs. She closed her eyes briefly, leaning against a torn tree-trunk for support, and fixed her mind's eye on the image of Kaiketsu. _I will find him_ , she focused her determination. _I_ must _press on._

Miraculously,she staggered only a few more steps before she heard voices.

"Yes, that's correct. We were unsuccessful in the capture of Dark Shadow."

"Seems like you were lucky to make it out alive, then. Can't say the same for the others."

"How fared things at the main camp?"

"Tch. Tiger and Eraser were tough opponents. But we made our escape, somehow."

"Should we just take this one and go, then…? Before things head further south?"

"I've already contacted the base. Kurogiri will be here any time now."

There were at least five of them, then, and they _did_ have a prisoner. Kaida was running out of strength; she knew she had to make her move then, or not at all.

She loosed a swath of fire, lighting the way before her and encircling the clearing where the villains had gathered. Her hands trembled slightly as she walked through her own flames, pulling courage out of the abyss to face her unlikely odds.

"What the hell—?"

The villains turned to her as soon as she made her appearance. Kaida closed her fist, and her fires cut a closer perimeter around them. "Stand down, or I'll…" She swayed, and her legs gave out under her.

"She came along!" Toga clapped her hands excitedly, unconcerned for the fire. "Isn't that great?"

"Stubborn girl…" The man from before pushed past the group, and reared his head back. His blades lanced through the air once more. Kaida reached for her power, but felt herself falter, unable to shift again; in the last moment, she was able to manifest a scythe, lifting it in an attempt to at least parry some of the incoming attack.

It was wholly ineffective. Fresh pain spread across her body as she was stabbed to the ground once more, uttering a weak choking noise as her fires died out and she lost her grip on her own blade. Her vision was blurring. She could barely make out the villains' silhouettes, but noticed the boy tied up and unconscious between the group of them.

"Bakugo…" she called out hoarsely, her voice barely above a whisper. _No… Izuku has to… has to…_

"Rrrrgh!" A shout came from behind her, followed by a flash of a different dark steel. Claws tore through the air above her, severing Moonfish's blade-teeth. The remaining ends faded away into grey mist once separated from their source, and Kaida curled onto her side, freed from her fetters. Someone crouched beside her, gripping her shoulder tightly. "Damn it, you idiot. What the hell have you gotten yourself into?" She turned her head weakly. Toga was still standing with her allies, but the _real_ Kaiketsu was kneeling next to Kaida.

"Isn't that the one you were supposed to nab, Toga?" One of the villains commented. "How… convenient."

"What are you doing? Get out of here," Kaida croaked. "I'm here looking for _you_ , don't come along just to get in trouble that could be otherwise avoided."

"Shut up," Kaiketsu growled. "You're fucking hurt. You seriously think you can take them alone?"

 _I'm never alone,_ Kaida thought to herself. The villains continued to talk, ignoring the two students.

"Maybe we should just take both of them."

"Don't be stupid, Moonfish. Tamashini isn't to be underestimated. She might be down for the count now, but if she regains her strength and compromises the exodus, we'll be in deep trouble."

"Dabi, you're no fun," Toga whined. "I want to spend more time with her!"

A low humming filled the air, and a dark portal opened up behind the group. Kurogiri's voice emanated from the void. **"Time's up. Come on — we leave the ones who aren't here yet."**

"…Grab the other boy. Leave the girl."

 **"Very well."**

The hummingsounded again, right by Kaida's ear, and she saw the portal swirl to life over Kaiketsu's shoulder, before dark hands reached out and grabbed him by the arms. Their incorporeal strength started to drag him away, into the void.

"No!" Kaida grabbed onto his wrist, panic forcing her to move in spite of her wounds. He was slipping away, out of reach; she clung desperately to his hand. Kaiketsu struggled against his captors, but it was to no avail. He clenched his jaw with a creak of metal, and met Kaida's panicked eyes with an unreadable expression.

Then he let go of her hand, slipping out of her reach, and into the darkness. With a tiny _blip_ , the portal was gone — the villains, Bakugo, and Kaiketsu with them.

 _No… no… no…_ Kaida's empty hand fell to the ground as she felt despair taking over. _How could this have happened? How…_ her vision began to fade. She heard rapidly approaching footsteps from the forest.

* * *

 **—Midoriya—**

He rushed to Kaida's side. Her blue eyes were dulled and half-closed as she turned to look at him. "Midoriya… they have them," she whispered.

"Who has who?" Izuku looked over Kaida's blood-soaked frame, biting his lip. "We have to get you back to camp. You need help, right away."

 _His head throbbed for a moment, and the scene before him changed. As before, the world was veiled by a thin haze, and he saw the six figures standing in the clearing, stepping through a portal. Kaida and Kaiketsu were on the ground right in front of Izuku. He watched as she reached for his hand, even as he slipped out of sight. But what made Izuku's stomach drop was the rest of the group disappearing through another warp — and the tall man with the blond-haired boy thrown over his shoulder._

 ** _"Kacchan?"_**

His voice was silent in the visionscape. He shifted back into reality, dizzy and perplexed.

It was like a waking nightmare. Everything had been so _fine,_ so _normal_ , just hours ago, before the shroud of the villains and their malicious intent descended upon the forest. Izuku felt so helpless, so lost.

Kaida let out a shaking breath, her jaw tensed in pain. Izuku shook himself. Now wasn't the time for contemplation. There was one thing he _could_ do in that moment, one person he _could_ save. So he carefully led her up with his good arm, shouldering her weight as he supported her, and started to make his way back to camp.

* * *

 _ **Next Chapter: Exodus**_


	15. XV: Exodus

Chapter Fifteen: Exodus

* * *

 **—Midoriya—**

"With all due respect, Nezu, I don't think the boy should be here. He's emotionally compromised."

The small, fluffy principal folded his paws patiently on the table before him. "Torino, it's quite alright. As we reiterated before, it is important for both young Midoriya and young Todoroki to be present at this meeting and the subsequent press conference. They, and the other pre-licensed hero students, will be instrumental in our operation."

Izuku was silent as his mentor raised the argument, his hands clenched in his lap. He stared at the table before him, occasionally glancing up at Todoroki to his right; toward Endeavor just beyond him; and toward Yaoyorozu and Inasa on Izuku's other side , along with some representatives from Shiketsu. The press was waiting just outside the meeting hall, fielding attendees as they streamed into the auditorium. Councilmen, government officials, police chiefs, parents… all sorts of citizens from the surrounding areas were coming to listen to the heroes' press conference.

A single day had passed since the attack at the training camp. Once help had arrived and the incapacitated villains brought into custody, the forest fire went out without necessitating any intervention. Izuku made it back to camp with Kaida and was able to get her to medical attention, and Kota had arrived safely with the other group.

But not everyone was so fortunate. Including Shoji, five students were dead, four more and Pixie-Bob severely injured, as well as two others missing: the pro hero, Ragdoll, and Katsuki.

Izuku's very own Kacchan. He replayed the events of the night leading up to the villains' attack in his head over and over again, including those that he had witnessed through the visions of his newfound ability, Echo. _How could it have happened? How did they manage to get him like that?_ The image of Katsuki draped over the villain's shoulder like a sack of potatoes, limp and unconscious, was burned into Izuku's mind. _Kacchan never sleeps peacefully. He always naps with the angriest expressions on his face. But then, with so little emotion, it was almost as if he was de—_

A hand gripped his shoulder roughly. Izuku startled, only to see Inasa's large hand clamped down on his shoulder, the much larger boy smiling courageously. "Take heart, Midoriya," he said, solemnly. "I see in your expression that despair is come upon you! But do not give in to such fretful thoughts. They will do you no good out there."

Yaoyorozu's smile was softer and warmer. "Yes…" she nodded in agreement. "If we start thinking of the worst, that's exactly what the villains want. And we will not afford them that victory!"

"You're right." Izuku swallowed his fear. "I'm — I'm sorry, you have my full presence and support in this mission. I won't let anyone down."

"Attaboy!" Inasa clapped Izuku heartily on the back.

"Quiet." Gran Torino said gruffly. "We're about to begin."

The auditorium lighting dimmed on the newly crowded hall, leaving only the stage lights to highlight the long table where Izuku sat. The conversations began in a blear of noise and clamoring of news reporters, each pressing past the others to shove microphones at the speakers and shout their questions above the crowd. As he was told by his mentor, Izuku did not give any statements of his own; he merely sat and listened to the others offer up their opinions of the situation and subsequent plans being put in place to maximize security for the students in future off-campus expeditions. Izuku heard his name and Kaida's name come up many times, often as the point of heated debate — _was_ it truly the case that their presence was a greater danger to others than the comfort it gave to society regarding a facade of unity and camaraderie? How far would the heroes go to show their dedication to playing these _foolish_ mind games with the villains, when students' lives are at stake?

The questions were theoretical weeks ago; but by the time Izuku was seated at that table, they were not. Lives _had_ been lost. The worst _had_ come to pass. There was no turning back time to redo the careful planning and organization that went into the trip, and yet everyone seemed to want to know: _what is the plan to keep us safe and ensure victory for us?_

 _Us_. Izuku closed his eyes. _Who is "us" anymore, I wonder? A pretty subjective pronoun; the most ambiguous… to every group of individuals, there is an "us" to protect, an "us" to serve. Even with all the careful planning and precautions in the world against one thing or another, if there will always be another "us" that is at odds with our own idea of "us," then… what can we do?_

 ** _We stand up. We act. We keep fighting._**

Izuku's head throbbed, and his father's fierce smile flashed behind his eyes.

Under the din of the crowd and the incessant flashing of camera shutters, Izuku heard the policeman approach. He stooped by Endeavor's side. "Todoroki-san. The scouting operation is complete, we're ready to move. It seems the information your son was able to procure was, in fact, reliable."

Endeavor nodded. He stood up without a word, and his son followed suit. "It's time," he said gravely, loudly enough for those at the table to hear, but just out of reach of the nagging microphones. "Those of you who know your place, let's move."

Chaos broke out amidst the crowd and reporters.

 _"Endeavor-san?"_

 _"Where is he going?"_

 _"You're seeing it live, folks — the number one hero, leading a convoy of the others assembled here, off to battle! Where could they be going?"_

Nezu stood up on his chair. "Best of luck!" He called, before crossing his tiny arms. "Hey! Cameras on me. I'll be sticking around to answer all of your questions — because as you've demonstrated, you have _many!_ "

* * *

 **—Tamashini—**

Kaida dragged the brush through her long hair in broad, careless strokes, ignoring the sting of strands pulled loose and abandoned amidst the bristles. She stared at her cold, empty-eyed reflection in the mirror, clearing her mind as much as possible as she pulled a soft shirt over her head, adjusting it carefully over the bandages across her midriff and chest, before loosely draping her jacket over her shoulders. She splashed some cold water on her face, and dried off with the starchy, stiff towel on the rack.

When she exited the bathroom, the nurse was waiting for her by the gurney. "Miss Tamashini, I'm glad to see that you're well enough to be walking about. Endeavor had his son drop off some of your clothes from the dorms while you were sleeping; you've found everything as you needed it?"

Kaida nodded. "Yes, thank you. Did you need something?"

The nurse bowed politely. "Just a quick check-up. Dr. Kizuya wants me to take your vitals before he comes in to see you in a few minutes."

 _Quick is alright, I suppose._ Kaida rolled up her sleeve and offered her arm to the nurse. "Okay."

The pulse monitor was clipped onto her finger, and she felt the tightness around her upper arm as he took her blood pressure. He frowned at the gauge. "Hm… 85/55. Passable, but still a bit low for our liking. Are you feeling light-headed or dizzy at all? Perhaps the blood transfusion was insufficient."

"I feel fine," she replied. The nurse smiled.

"Well, I'm happy to hear you say that. All the same, let's have the doc check you up again, alright? She'll be in here soon. Why don't you sit outside on the balcony for some fresh air, in the meantime? It's a lovely evening."

Kaida nodded. "Thank you, I'll do that." The door closed behind the nurse, and Kaida was left in silence. She listened to the sound of her own breathing for a moment.

By Elysium's continued lack of dialogue, she could readily assume that it had been continually expending much of its energy keeping its vessel alive, accelerating her healing and restoring some of her vitality. Kaida was not foolish enough to imagine herself at full strength, but it was enough.

She stepped out onto the balcony. Afternoon was waning into evening, the sun already sinking below the skyline of buildings that surrounded the hospital area. The zipper on her jacket went up noisily, all the way to her neck, and she tucked her hair under the collar.

 _Please forgive me this abuse,_ she prayed silently. She knew Elysium was always listening. _I never want to take your power for granted, but this time… this is the only way that I think I can live with myself._ The dragon was silent. Kaida took another deep breath, and stepped up onto the railing. Gossamer wings fanned out from her back, and she tipped herself forwards, abandoning the care and safety of the hospital.

She could sense Erebus's rising. The chaos dragon's power was stirring, and though Kaida didn't know to what end, she knew it would spell nothing short of calamity.

 _I must find Kaiketsu. Before it's too late._

* * *

 **—Shigaraki—**

"Tch."

Tomura turned down the volume on the small cable TV and kicked back his chair, leaving it swiveling meekly as he abandoned it.

"They're not even trying to be discreet about coming for us."

"You're not afraid, are you?" Overhaul sneered. "Keep in mind the purpose of that whole operation was, at its heart, _posturing_. Not worth too much if you're going to just shrivel away in fear as soon as they launch their counter-offensive."

Tomura hissed. Kurogiri put a shadowy hand on the young man's shoulder. "Patience, master Shigaraki. Do not let his words rouse you."

"Hmph." He shrugged Kurogiri's hand off. "I see you're back from your reconnaissance. Did you find Muscular and the others?"

Kurogiri shook his head. "Captured, or dead; as we surmised."

Tomura closed his eyes, his face veiled by his limp blue bangs and the ever-present hand mask. He recalled his master's words.

 ** _Victories are bought with the lives of the lost; new worlds built on the graves of the fallen._**

"Fine. We proceed with the plan, then." He slipped his hands into his pockets and crossed the room, where a young boy with a bushel of spiky blond hair was bound to a chair by thick steel restraints, unconscious. Tomura stared down at him in silence.

"Sure thing, 'boss,'" Overhaul laughed, his tone dismissive as ever. "I'll be on my way, then. Eri will be waiting for me for dinner."

"Tell Eri-tan that Big Sis Himiko will miss her," Toga sighed. "I wish I could stay with you guys." Chisaki ruffled the girl's messy buns, and the door closed behind him. "Hey," Toga continued, in the silence that followed. "Where's Dabi?"

"He came back with the rest of you, did he not?" Kurogiri's voice was terse.

"It doesn't matter." Tomura slipped his gloves on, and turned back to the group. "With or without him, we keep going. It's almost time. If you have any last-minute packing to do, get it done now."

* * *

 **—Todoroki—**

It was quite the bullet train ride. Shoto sat in a quad of seats with Midoriya across from Momo and Inasa, the latter of whom had thrown his combat coat over his partner in an attempt to keep her warm in the chilly air-conditioning, given the thin (and rather _stingy_ , in terms of covering much skin) fabric of her hero costume.

Izuku's eyes lacked their usual bubbly sparkle. He stared out the window at the darkening landscape as it blurred past, his expression betraying his tension. Shoto placed a hand on his classmate's shoulder.

"Midoriya…"

Izuku jumped. "O-oh, what is it?"

Shoto did his best reassuring tone. "We'll find Bakugo and Hagane. The villains will not take this victory."

"Not with all of us working together!" Inasa pounded his chest firmly with a fist. "Our combined strength; and the top heroes that are accompanying us — unbeatable!"

Yaoyorozu rubbed her arms. "It's unwise to be over-confident, though. Mistakes could mean life or death."

"So we won't make any," Shoto replied. _There's no room for hesitation. No room for error._

His thoughts drifted to Kaida. She was asleep when he'd been at the hospital to deliver her belongings, but the doctors informed him that she was in a stable condition. A knot formed in his stomach when he recalled Midoriya carrying her back to camp, and how much _blood_ there was… he shook his head. _She's pulled through worse before. She'll pull through again. And for now… I'll do the hero work for her._

 _"I choose to protect the people I love. I choose to protect the people of this world. That's a choice I have to stand by."_

He closed his eyes. _Then I'll stand with you._

The train rolled to a stop. Aizawa stood from his seat, briskly heading down the aisle. "We're here. Let's go." Shoto's father went past before any of the students had a chance to disembark. He glanced over his shoulder at his son, cold blue eyes unreadable as ever.

Once everyone had assembled on the platform, Endeavor crossed his arms, addressing the heroes before him. Shoto saw many notable faces; many the top heroes were there.

"This is the situation," Endeavor began. "The police force and smaller units of heroes and sidekicks led by Hawks and Jeanist have surrounded the buildings that the villains are likely to be in, based on our intel. The area is three city blocks wide, in the Kamino Ward. As we close in, it is _imperative_ that we do so quickly, efficiently, and thoroughly. We can't let anyone slip past our perimeter, and we can't risk the lives of the hostages in their hands. Understood?"

The assembled nodded, the mood serious and tense. Shoto's father looked satisfied. "Edgeshot." He turned to the man behind him.

* * *

 **Pro Hero: Edgeshot**

 **Quirk: Foldabody  
His body can be thinned or sharpened to an extreme degree, transforming faster than the speed of sound.**

* * *

"What's the status on the civilians within the ward?"

Edgeshot stood at attention. "Evacuated with discretion, Enji-san. None should have reason to assume that the residents have emptied their areas of residence, and the commercial district is under strict observation. We are ready to protect the remaining pedestrians at a moment's notice."

"Good. As I—"

"Incoming!"

A police officer called out a warning. Heroes and armed forces turned to assess the unexpected arrival, with a rustle of rifles at the ready and Quirks stirring to action.

But when the girl landed on the platform, Endeavor raised a hand. "Stand down."

Shoto recognised her immediately; her wings glowed with less refulgence than usual, and her collar was raised to cover much of her face, but who else could it be?

"Tamashini." Aizawa stepped forwards, narrowing his eyes. "What do you think you're doing here?"

Kaida did not flinch. She flared out her wings, and several policemen and some of the sidekicks took a few wary steps back from the flames that radiated out around her. "What do you think?" She stared back, coldly. "Teacher. I will not stand idly by while—"

"You ought to be on _bed rest_ ," Endeavor growled. "Was our authority not clear enough on that order?"

The girl took another step forwards. In Endeavor's shadow, she looked small and frail, but the way the ethereal fire licked at the ground at her feet implied her true power. Before she could speak, their teacher stepped between her and Endeavor. Aizawa's eyes flashed red as he activated his suppressing Quirk. "Stand _down,_ Tamashini."

Her fires died down, and her wings dissipated. Kaida clenched her fists. She seemed to catch sight of Shoto and Izuku for the first time, but tore her gaze away, staring defiantly under Aizawa's crimson eyes. "No."

There was a flash of brilliance, and her form changed. Those nearby stumbled away as the dragon filled the platform, the concrete crumbling beneath each of her talons. Aizawa, too, took a few steps back in surprise. Shoto could only stare in shock. _His Quirk doesn't work on her shift?_

Kaida's voice rang out, clear enough for all to hear. **"With or without the force you've gathered here, I _will_ be a part of this operation," **she declared.

The atmosphere had changed. Where once the assembled had fronted confidence and the assurance of unity, there was a palpable mood of _fear_ now hanging in the air. It struck a painful chord in Shoto's heart. Fearsome though she may have presented, he could feel the pain in her voice, and he saw the slight tremble in her legs, easily mistakable for the flicker of fire on the wisps at her heels. Her demand was met with silence.

Shoto took a step forward.

* * *

 **—Midoriya—**

But Izuku was a step ahead.

He knew what it felt like to be helpless. He knew the fear of bearing great power, but being incapable of making a difference anyway. He knew what it meant to be a prisoner to his own hesitation.

"How can you deny her this?"

At the movement, Kaida's head whipped to face him, and she bared her fangs, hissing. He did not falter, continuing to close the distance between them. He reached out his hand, palm forwards, and pressed it against the side of the wide, triangular head, feeling the muscles ripple on her powerful jawline. Her eyes faced him, and they reflected nothing of the world around them, occupied with her inner fire. Yet the longer Izuku stared, the less his heart raced. She flinched away from his touch.

 **"We're wasting time,"** she said, coldly. **"If you do not say the word, I will go ahead without you."**

"Go with her." Endeavor's voice broke the heroes' silence.

"Enji?" Edgeshot questioned tersely.

"Shoto. Midoriya. Go with her." Endeavor repeated, firmly. "If she will not bend to our authority, then we will have to best make use of her as an asset. We don't have time to argue."

"They're _children_ ," Aizawa snapped. "You're sending your own son with two other _children_ to spearhead this?"

"Hawks and Jeanist are already in position," Endeavor barked. "If we send Elysium in now, it ought to serve to draw the villains out, or press their hand."

 **"Yes, indeed."** The dragon lifted her head, and nodded to Todoroki. **"Come, then. Get on; this way will be fastest."** She lowered her foreleg, bending her shoulder down and flattening the spindles at the base of her neck.

"You want us to—?" Izuku stuttered. Todoroki stepped up beside them. He looked between Izuku and Kaida.

"If Mineta could do it without falling off, so can we," he muttered. "Let's not waste any more time."

The dragon's scales were unexpectedly smooth, almost soft to the touch. Izuku fumbled around for something to hold on to, eventually settling for one of the wisps that trimmed Kaida's back, which he thought were intangible flames, but were actually rather sturdy membranes. Todoroki climbed aboard behind Izuku. No sooner than he had settled did Izuku feel the rush of movement as Kaida took wing, and the ground disappeared under them.

In spite of his bravery in approaching the dragon, Izuku was helpless to restrain his yelp as they launched into the air. It was like being on a rollercoaster, but one without harnesses or seatbelts… or a track of any sort. The wind alone threatened to peel the two riders off of Kaida's back. Flattened against her spine, Izuku dared to peer over the edge of her neck. The city lights glowed below, with an eerie stillness.

Even from so far up in the air, they could easily make out the perimeter that Endeavor spoke of, an area several blocks wide surrounded by cars and armed officers. **"We're going down. Hold on tight."** The dragon pulled into a steep dive, and Izuku felt his stomach fly up into his chest.

* * *

 **—Hagane—**

Kaida was not one for subtlety. He saw the blue-white streak plummet down from the sky and land somewhere beyond the ring of buildings, and scoffed. _Great._

"Stealth was not their objective to begin with. As neither was ours."

Kaiketsu bristled at the voice. He looked over his shoulder, which was about as far as he could move in the restraints that bound his arms and chest, and glowered at the dark figure standing behind him. All for One rested a hand on Kaiketsu's shoulder. "Don't touch me," Kaiketsu growled.

"So many emotions…" The man ignored Kaiketsu's protests. "Resentment. Frustration. Anger. Fear. _Love_. The girl has worked quite a number on you."

"Shut up."

All for One sighed. "I'm not trying to simply get a rise out of you, Kaiketsu. I intend only to show you the truth to which you blind yourself. This life… is this one that you can ever truly be satisfied with? Always living in her shadow, and never being able to stand by her side? You know, don't you — you know, in your heart, that she has chosen another. And that she will not change her mind."

"That doesn't mean there's no room for me in her life," Kaiketsu snapped.

"Does it, though?" All for One folded his hands together. His masked visage looked up at the full moon above. "Why fight for a place in a world that's so full of _noise_ and _strife_ when you can create your own?" He murmured. "It matters not if you cannot see the way. I will guide you. I will show you that the light you've pursued is nothing but a plague on this existence."

Kaiketsu didn't oblige the villain further dialogue. The man sighed, and pressed a hand to the transmitter at his neck. "Tomura, come in. How go your preparations? …excellent. I am ready, whenever you are. The chaos realm awaits."

 _The chaos realm? The hell are they going on about?_

Kurogiri, the warp gate villain, appeared before him.

 **"Master."** He greeted All for One solemnly. The rest of the villains' team came through Kurogiri's portal just behind him. Kaiketsu caught a glimpse of Bakugo being dragged along by a broad-shouldered man. The other boy was similarly bound, but writhing violently against his restraints. He had a gag over his mouth, but Kaiketsu could imagine Bakugo's profanities well enough.

A tuneless humming heralded Toga's arrival through the portal, before she skipped into Bakugo and his captor. "Oops! Sorry, Magne," she grinned, baring her pointed teeth. She caught sight of Kaiketsu, and squealed in delight. "Hagane-kun! You look so good all _tied up_ like that. Are you excited for the trip?"

Kaiketsu looked away, staring at the ground. He heard Shigaraki's raspy voice as he spoke with All for One. "Master. I'm sorry that these were the only two that we could secure."

"Do not apologize, Tomura. Even had we not succeeded in securing additional forces, the power that awaits us within Erebus's grasp is far greater than the imagination of those in this world. Now. Are you ready?"

A low, sonorous beat filled the air. It was like a huge, hollow drum; or the beating of a heavy heart. It filled Kaiketsu with dread. The villains fell silent, and then it was just the eerie sound and the muffled, indignant shouts from Bakugo. Kaiketsu looked up, and saw the source of the noise.

The portal that opened was not like the warp gates that Kurogiri made, nor any other teleportation Quirk that Kaiketsu had seen before. It was a dark ring, about ten meters wide and tall, a shade of black untouched by the moonlight. But through the portal, the world beyond was rich with strange colors, unnatural to the scape he was familiar with but at the same time, so definitive in saturation and atmosphere that it beckoned to him like the promise of a long dream. He could see long, winding paths; dark trees overburdened with purple and red flowers, a sky that dripped with every shade of indigo to violet. And floating above it all, an enchanting pair of amber eyes, slitted and refulgent. A voice echoed out into the lot.

 ** _"Come to me, my children."_**

All for One put a hand on Shigaraki's back. "You first, Tomura. Lead the way."

The blue-haired man hesitated. He slowly reached up, and removed the hand-mask from his face. His lips trembled slightly as he shambled towards the gate. He looked over his shoulder, and All for One nodded encouragingly.

"Stop right there!"

A clamor of motion and action rose up from the alleys and buildings around them; the sounds of rifles being drawn and heroes descending from above. Red laser reticles shone onto the villains from all sides. The authoritative voice came through a loudspeaker once more. "Don't move a muscle!"

The villains looked around, uncertain. All for One lifted his hand, calming them. "Stay close to the portal. It will be as a shield." He took two steps forward, and from a hidden vantage point, a sniper took the shot.

The high-caliber bullet struck an invisible barrier, freezing in the air, the impact completely soundless. It fell to the ground uselessly, and All for One chuckled. "I will not suffer this interference," he spoke loudly enough for the emerging forces to hear him. "Carry on," he said over his shoulder, to his accomplices. "The portal will accommodate you one at a time… rest assured that I will not be far behind. Keep the hostages here until the last possible moment — the heroes will be hesitant to use full force knowing that we have the boys."

"Yes, sir!" The villains started to mobilize again, and All for One levitated up into the air.

Dozens of razor-sharp feathers flew at him as soon as he left the ground, only to be stopped by the barrier once more. Kaiketsu caught sight of Hawks standing at the front of the forces, his red wings tented above his head.

"Fool." All for One lifted his hands. Two of the tallest buildings nearby were ripped from their foundations, hovering over to the heroes and policemen threateningly. "Die."

Kaiketsu could only look on as the buildings began to tip over, with the creaking of bent metal beams and the multitude of small crackles and explosions as the electrical wiring was torn asunder. Then—

A bitter cold swept the area, and Kaiketsu blinked; in the next instant, the toppling buildings were encased in two massive glaciers that rose from the ground, locking them into place. A flood of light, diminishing the moonlight by comparison, blinded him, and a deafening roar echoed across the ward as the silver dragon burst through the buildings, between the glaciers. All for One grunted, and Kaiketsu looked up to see the villain suddenly bound, arms pressed to his sides by a thick binding of black thread.

"It's game over, All for One."

* * *

 **Pro Hero: Best Jeanist**

 **Quirk: Fiber Master  
He can manipulate the fibers of any clothing, synthetic or natural, at will. The threads he wield move incredibly fast and are strong enough to hold virtually anything. **

* * *

The number three hero stood just behind where Kaida had landed, his fingers fanned out. "I don't need to penetrate your barrier to capture you. Deactivate the portal, now."

"Go," All for One hissed at the two remaining accomplices. Toga leapt into the portal, and the thick man hauling Bakugo stayed close on her heels.

"Kacchan!" In a shower of red and green sparks, Midoriya leapt up into the air – _from Kaida's back? –_ and he reached out, desperately.

A black tendril shot out from his arm. It went through the barrier as if it wasn't even there, and wrapped around the spiky-haired boy, ripping him from the villain's arms even as the man was stepping through the portal. The shadowy arm retracted back to Midoriya, bringing Bakugo with it, and the two boys went crashing to the ground. Midoriya ripped the gag from Bakugo's mouth.

"What the fuck was that?" Bakugo yelled. "How the fuck did you do that!?"

"I don't know?" Izuku shouted back, equally bewildered.

* * *

 **One for All**

 **Ability: Blackwhip  
Black tendrils explode from the user, which can be manipulated to grab and pull objects at a distance, or used to strike foes. **

* * *

Hawks rushed forwards, and scooped the two boys up and away. "One of two objectives retrieved," he raised his voice. "Falling back."

"Wait, I can still fight!" Midoriya protested, squirming in Hawks' grip as he was winged away.

"Be that as it may, it's important that you remove yourself from the area of liability," Hawks snapped.

"ENOUGH."

All for One pointed a single finger. A compressed shot of air blasted across the pavement, hitting Jeanist squarely in the stomach. A splatter of blood drenched the officers behind him, in the wake of the hole left in Jeanist's torso. He dropped to his knees, and the fibers binding All for One slipped loose. He moved behind Kaiketsu, locking them both behind a web of spikes that protruded from the villain's arms. "Nobody move." He said, his voice a dead monotone.

Kaida dug her talons into the gravel. Kaiketsu saw Todoroki pressed up against the dragon's forelimb, shivering violently; the doubling of his ice super-move had clearly taken a great physical toll on him. They were close enough that Kaiketsu could see the panic flickering behind the dragon's scalene eyes.

"Step forwards, _girl._ "

"Kaida," Todoroki's voice quavered. "Don't—"

"NOW," All for One barked, "or the boy dies."

"Comply, Tamashini!" Endeavor shouted. He had stepped in front of Jeanist, allowing the incapacitated hero to be dragged off to safety.

Kaida flipped Todoroki onto her back, and slowly stepped forwards until she stood at the edge of the barrier.

 **"Where's your forcible Quirk activation?"** Her voice was tense.

All for One chuckled. "It doesn't work like that. If you're referring to how your mother died… she was unable to hold that form after I transferred my pain to her. As it stands, there is no way to _cripple_ you right now. Unless—" He gripped Kaiketsu's jaw in one hand, wrapping the other arm across the top of his head. "Do you think you could act in time if I snapped his neck?"

Kaida growled, flames wreathing between her teeth. **"What do you _want?_ "**

"Shift back." The villain commanded. "As the boy's aspected Quirk was able to pierce the barrier, I would be unsurprised if Elysium's talons could do the same. And we can't have that, can we?" He tightened his grip on Kaiketsu's jaw, until the metal began to creak.

"Enough!" In a whirl of fire and light, Kaida stood on her own two legs. She still supported Todoroki against her side, as he struggled to stay on his feet.

"Good, good." All for One nodded approvingly. To Kaiketsu's surprise, he was released. "Now…" The spear-like appendages sprang forth from the villain's arms once more, this time to point at Kaida and Todoroki from every angle – close enough that if either made any sudden movements, the villain could easily run them through. "Listen very carefully, girl. And you—" he addressed Kaiketsu, "—the same threat still stands. Try anything, and they die together." Kaiketsu ground his teeth, biting back a retort.

He looked at Kaida. She had one arm wrapped around the boy at her side, and the other held out before her; one of the spines from All for One dug into her forearm, a thin trail of blood running down her pale skin. Todoroki shifted slightly, and blinked at the red that stained his hands as well — Kaiketsu saw that her black jacket was also damp with blood. _Her wounds must have reopened…_

"I could snuff out your life right here and now," All for One spoke again. "But that would do little in the grand scheme of things; even if you are the last of your bloodline, Elysium will find another vessel. Better, then, to bide our time until Erebus can return to strike a decisive blow, would you not agree? And in the time of our absence, perhaps you shall know the quietude of a world bereft of the beauty of chaos, locked in the depravity of what you consider _peace._ To that end, heed my words, girl: know your place in the world. It is not something you shall learn overnight, but over the course of years, perhaps… perhaps you will find a slice of the universe in which you belong. Then, I shall return, along with my master, and rip you and Elysium out, root and stem."

"Are you quite finished?" Kaida hissed. "Tell me something that I _don't_ expect to hear the next time you decide to monologue. What does Kaiketsu have to do with any of this?"

All for One ran a hand through Kaiketsu's shaggy hair. "Each and every one of my followers, starting with Tomura, is a soul that I have saved from the hand that they were dealt. Life is brutally, cruelly unfair. And to accomplish fairness, rather than doling out equal treatment, it is necessary to accommodate for each individual what they need to succeed, no matter how much or how little that may be."

"You're kidding, right?" Kaiketsu spat. "I don't need to be saved by you."

"Perhaps your eyes are clouded by the world that you _want_ to see. It is easy to wish for people to be someone who they are not, and to confuse that idealized entity with the person before you," All for One murmured. "Hence, you need someone to show you the true path."

The voice emanated from the portal once more. **_"Come to me, and I will show you what this world cannot offer."_**

"I'll make the choice easy for you." All for One brought the spikes closer to Kaida and Todoroki. "The world doesn't _need_ Tamashini, but neither do we. Dedicate your life to me, Kaiketsu, and I will spare hers."

Time slowed down. As All for One laid out his ultimatum, Kaiketsu became numb to the rest of the world. His heartbeat thudded in his ears, reverberating through his dense skeleton and inner forge; a heat that threatened to consume him from within, and the looming presence of whatever hell awaited in the realm beyond that portal. But more fearsome yet was the future that played out in his mind, the future where Kaida died before his eyes then and there; the future where he would live in a world with that guilt hanging over his head for the rest of his days, a crime that no amount of heroism in his own name he could ever hope to overwrite. He made his decision.

"Hey, Todoroki." His own voice sounded strange, far away. Through the net of spikes, he picked out a single grey eye. There was a vulnerability there that Kaiketsu had not known to see before, but one that he did not have time to ponder on. "Don't you ever let her down."

He looked to Kaida for a moment, but for her, there didn't seem to be any words fitting for that parting; an apology would seem trite, a reiteration of his confession inappropriate. So Kaiketsu closed his eyes, and turned to face the portal.

"Good lad." All for One said, approvingly. He walked by Kaiketsu's side, ushering him along. The scents and sights of the world beyond threatened to drown him, but Kaiketsu steeled his resolve, and stepped through without another moment's hesitation.

On the other side, he looked over his shoulder, as All for One followed him through. He saw Kaida shouting, but couldn't hear the words that left her lips. And then the world he knew disappeared, chased away like a waking dream.

* * *

 **Next Chapter: Fallout and the Future**


	16. Interlude

_Please see the footnote for an important AN._

* * *

 **Interlude: Nine years ago.**

* * *

"Come here, my love," Akira smiled, bundling her seven-year-old daughter into her lap. Kaida folded her hands, sitting up straight to let her mother run the comb through Kaida's long hair.

"Mama," Kaida turned her head slightly to look at Akira with her wide blue eyes. "How come you got your hair cut?"

Akira fingered the ends of her short-cropped hair, the same jet-black as her daughter's. "Ah… it was getting too troublesome for work," she laughed. "Maybe it was an iconic look, but it's easier on the upkeep like this."

"Hmm," Kaida pondered on that for a moment. "When _I_ grow up and become a hero, I want to keep my hair long. I think you looked cool!"

" _When_ that happens, _you'll_ be in charge of brushing it. Then you can be as 'cool' as you want," Akira flipped a lock of Kaida's hair over her shoulder.

"Okay," Kaida twiddled her thumbs, summoning up a small lick of blue fire between her fingers. "But then do I get to turn into the dragon like you do?"

"The day will come," Akira said patiently, a hint of sadness tingeing her voice. "But you don't want to be in such a hurry to race towards it. Elysium is more than just part of our Quirk; when you inherit the dragon's soul, you will inherit a great deal of responsibility as well."

"I don't know what you mean, mama," Kaida said plainly, blowing out the flame in her hands. She tipped her head to the side, expecting an explanation.

Akira's pager buzzed, and she leaned over to the counter-top to pick it up. She sighed at the message. "I have to swing by Uncle Might's agency for a board meeting, apparently. I'll be back in time for lunch though, I promise." She plopped Kaida back onto the bathroom floor, kissed the top of her daughter's head, and hurried off, blowing a kiss over her shoulder.

Kaida sighed, hearing the front door open and close. She wandered out through the house, smelling the sweet scent of her father's baking in the kitchen, and went out to sit on the back porch. She dangled her bare feet over the little pond in their backyard, staring pensively at her reflection.

Before her mother had her haircut, Kaida was practically a mini-carbon-copy of Akira. Her freshly-brushed hair pooled around her waist, drifting slightly in the breeze, and her lambent blue eyes reflected the sky and water before her. Akira always told her daughter that eyes were very special – windows to every person's soul. Kaida leaned forwards towards the water's surface, squinting at the pond. _If the dragon is part of the soul… Maybe if I stare hard enough, I can see the dragon!_

 ** _"You needn't look so hard to find something special, child."_**

Kaida jumped upon hearing the voice, almost falling into the pond. "W-wha? Who's there?" She looked around, but she was alone in the garden.

 ** _"Be at peace… I am that which speaks to you in dreams, the spirit woven into the blood of your ancestors."_**

"Oh!" Kaida brightened, understanding. "You're Elysium! Hi, nice to meet you. I'm Kaida."

 ** _"I know your name, child. I have known you since before you were given that name. Since the beginning of your time."_**

"Well, that's kinda strange," Kaida declared. "Why haven't I met you before?"

 ** _"The time was not yet right. In fact — our time has yet to come, but I wished to greet you under sunny skies, rather than to have our first meeting be that of great sorrow."_**

"Why would I be sad?" the girl's brow furrowed. "I'm excited to get to be a dragon like Mama."

The voice paused for a moment; to the young girl, it felt an uncomfortably long silence. **_"…Tell me, child: would you choose great power if it meant great cost? Are you yet dissatisfied with entrusting the faith in those you love to fulfill your heart?"_**

Kaida blinked, trying to process Elysium's words. "Well… it's not like I have much that I can pay for that, right? I know Mama and Daddy have a lot of money, but—"

 ** _"I speak not of monetary sacrifice."_**

"Oh." Kaida dipped her toe into the water. "I love Mama and Daddy more than anything else. If I have to be just me, and let them take care of me, that's okay I suppose," she decided.

 ** _"Always remember the desire to stay yourself, Tamashini."_**

"What's that mean?" Kaida laughed, a little nervously. "Who else would I be?"

 ** _"Some day, a time will come when you have to be more than just you. More than just one person, one girl, one daughter. And when that day comes, your sense of self will be truly put to the test."_**

"That sounds like a lot to deal with."

The dragon's laughter echoed in her mind. **_"...Yes, child; it is a lot indeed."_**

"Kaida! Come help me fill the _shukurimu_ , please!" Her father called out from inside the house.

"Okay, coming!" Kaida called back, clambering up to her feet. "Well… you talk funny, but it was nice to meet you. Bye-bye, Elysium!"

The girl was young enough yet that any duress that Elysium's words could have weighted slipped away from her as she left them by the pond. And there they would be lost to the passing breeze, as fleeting as a child's curious whimsy; unburdened by such larger questions.

After all, Elysium was _pretty_ cool, but not as fun as helping her dad fill _shukurimu._ And definitely not as tasty.

 ** _"Take care, little dragon."_**

* * *

 **Author's Note**

Hi readers! I know it's been more than a month since Chaos Rising was last updated, and I'm very sorry for that. I've had lots going on, and it was just... easier, I suppose, to work on my other work: "Midland Flower, Desert Rose," especially with the support of my wonderful collaboration artist.

The next chapter of Chaos Rising will be the final chapter of this timeframe. Following it, the last third or so of the story will take place after a *seven year* time-skip. Because of this, Tea and I find it really important that Chapter XVI is exactly just right, to capstone off all the character development and how far Kaida has come as her own character. I'm also working on an art piece of Kaida and Elysium as a banner for the time skip (since I finally closed my commissions :') and have time to draw things for myself).

Thank you all for your continued support and reads, and see you again soon!


	17. XVI: A Pledge for the Future

**AN: Hi readers!**

 **If you're still here, thank you so much again for sticking by Chaos Rising for so long. This chapter marks the end of what Tea affectionately calls "Season One" of the story. Following this chapter is the seven-year timeskip, and the changes that brings. We already have the rest of the story pretty much planned out and outlined!**

 **Hope to see you again next update!**

* * *

 **Chapter Sixteen: A Pledge for the Future**

* * *

 **—** **Midoriya** —

Had it always been so warm, waking up in the morning? Izuku rolled onto his back and tried to peel the blankets off and let some cool air under the covers, only to find himself locked down into place by a heavy arm.

"...Eh?" Rubbing his eyes blearily, he looked over and nearly fell off of the bed when he saw Katsuki there, sound asleep. He looked frantically between the sleeping boy and broad daylight flooding through the windows, and shook Katsuki's shoulder in alarm. "Kacchan?! It's morning! You're not supposed to still be here!"

Katsuki's narrow red eyes opened steadily, and he regarded Izuku with an almost sad expression. The uncharacteristic countenance alarmed Izuku even more.

"Let's just stay like this a bit more," Katsuki muttered, "and just be more grateful, you asshole. We're lucky to still have this moment."

Izuku was silent. He stared at the ground. _He's… right. After all that's happened, worrying about being found out seems like such a stupid thing to be anxious over._ "I'm sorry if it seemed like I was shoo'ing you off," he murmured, resting his head back down onto the pillow. Katsuki plopped his chin on Izuku's shoulder roughly. "Ow."

"That's better. The day can wait; and that ain't a luxury we'll always have." He didn't say anything for a few moments, just resting his head roughly beside Izuku's. Then he said, in a characteristically brusque tone, "You know, we haven't talked about it. About that night. What it was like before I managed to make it out."

"Before… before that, I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to rescue you," Izuku squeezed his partner's hand tightly.

"I wasn't scared at first," Katsuki scoffed. "Those dumbfucks thought I'd make a good villain candidate? What a joke. But when they opened that portal, and I saw that eye, heard that dragon's voice…" he ground his teeth. "That's what real fear feels like."

That confession almost scared Izuku more than his own hesitation and lack of confidence. Katsuki was always fearless; always Izuku's light — well, the _explosion_ — in the darkest times. "Kacchan," he said suddenly. "Someday… we're going to have to be the ones who protect the world. The heroes that conquer fear, just like All Might did."

"Well, obviously," Katsuki grumbled. "And it's not like I'm going to wuss out in the future."

"Even if you do, I'll protect you too."

Katsuki started to laugh, but stopped abruptly. "...yeah, you're probably right. You're almost as scary as the bad guys, with your chimera-load of Quirks. That Blackwhip shit was like something out of a horror movie, you know."

Izuku looked at his hand, remembering the black tendrils that he had somehow summoned forth. "I wonder what kind of person that bearer was. There are lots of dark or chaos-aspected Quirk users who turn out to be heroes, you know. But maybe he had some kind of twisty past. Some tragic backstory."

"Tragic backstories make for the best heroes," Katsuki snorted. "Look at you and Tamashini, for fuck's sake."

"I'd say confident and talented people are cut out to be top heroes too," Izuku insisted, and got his hair ruffled in response.

"Don't suck up to me like that just to flatter me, you know it works." He pecked Izuku's temple roughly. "Point taken, though." He sat up and stretched. "Well, now I'm awake and not cozy anymore. Might as well fuck off to my room and get a shower in."

"Wait," Izuku stood up to stop Katsuki from leaving. "Let's make a promise."

Katsuki furrowed his brow. "Eh?"

"Let's… let's promise each other that we'll always protect the moments like that; the mornings spent sleeping in and just talking with the people we love, and having each other to hold on to in the face of fear. And we'll fight for a world where everyone can experience—"

"That's so fuckin' cheesy and gross," Katsuki groaned, but quickly grinned. He scooped up Izuku's hand and looped their pinky fingers together. "Deal. If we break the promise, we lose our pinkies; I'll blow 'em both off."

"T-that's not how pinky promises work!?" Izuku squeaked, and tried to withdraw his hand. Katsuki pulled him closer, and kissed his forehead, unusually gently. Then he turned heel and hopped out onto the balcony.

"If we're building a better world or whatever, I get to make up some of the rules. And that makes little kiddy promises way more exciting. See ya later, nerd."

* * *

 **—** **Tamashini—**

She didn't cry anymore; and in the absence of tears left to shed, Kaida often found herself wondering what to do with herself amidst the hollowness in her chest.

A warm embrace reminded her that her world was not yet empty. Even as she stared blankly out the window at nothing in particular, she leaned slightly into Shoto's shoulder, her breathing so slight that it was nearly silent. "Is it the weekend?" She asked suddenly, and felt him nod in affirmation without having to look up.

"Yes. Saturday morning."

Kaida had one more week left of suspension, as a result of her insubordination during the Kamino incident, and was prohibited from attending classes at UA for the meantime. She'd spent a majority of her leave brooding either in her room or on the dorm's rooftop, finding refuge in the reclusion of her mind.

Yet despite her withdrawal into herself, Shoto had stayed by her side. Every day when classes let out, he came to her to check in, to keep her company, or bring her some food or drink when she forgot to eat. He gave her the silence and space she needed, while still filling the void in her heart to stay it from consuming her.

"I'm going home this afternoon," Shoto continued, "so I need to get ready to head out."

"Alright. What's the occasion?"

He rubbed the back of his head. "...Believe me, if I knew earlier I would've told you, but this has been kept under wraps until this morning, when my mom called from the hospital. She's... moving back home."

Kaida turned and looked at him in surprise. "Really; so suddenly? Are things amicable between she and your father…?"

Shoto blew out a long puff of air. "I honestly don't know. I talk about him on occasion with her, but never about _them_. It's always been a subject I've avoided because my relationship with her has been smooth sailing over the past few years, and I'm almost daring to say that my old man is coming around; but those two have been very separate occurrences to me. I never imagined they'd intersect."

"I understand," Kaida nodded slowly. "How do you feel about it, though…?"

He ran his fingers through a lock of her hair. "Tentatively hopeful. Worried; confused. I've never even thought to want the two of them to patch things up. But with everything that's happened, I dare to believe my father's intentions to honor the value of family."

Kaida smiled; it required an effort, but was not altogether forced. "Then let's hope for the best, hm?"

 ** _"_** ** _...for Hope is the best that one can muster in the darkest of times."_**

She didn't dismiss Elysium's afterthought as readily as she would have not long ago. In the wake of the trials that they had endured together, and perhaps through the excess uses of Elysium's powers, Kaida had begun to understand its intentions to be genuinely in her best interests. Little comfort that it was, bickering with the entity in her mind was no longer something that she could consider a productive use of time.

"Would you like to come along with me?" Shoto was stretching, and pulling his jacket over his shoulders.

"To your home?" Kaida hesitated. "Would that be appropriate? And, besides - I'm still on probation, need it bear repeating."

Shoto frowned. "You're suspended from school, not in jail... Thankfully. But why would it not be appropriate?"

She saw his phone sitting abandoned under the bed, having fallen there at some point. Stooping down to scoop it up, she murmured, "Well, it's a rather important moment for your parents, and your siblings… I'm afraid I'd be intruding on the intimacy."

"Intruding?" Shoto echoed. Before she stood up fully, he took the phone from her and tossed it aside, sliding across her neatly-made sheets. She watched its arc apathetically, blowing an empty sigh as it slid dangerously close to the other side of the bed. "Kaida, look at me." She did as he bade, and found his face a breath away from hers, his eyes filling her field of vision; intensity and assuredness in the blue; gentle passion in the grey. "There is nothing that you would be intruding on, because there is nothing in that household that you are not already a part of, as far as I'm concerned. My mother feels the same way, and probably even my father — not that he would never admit that to anyone, but… you're family, too." Before she could respond, he kissed her softly.

She didn't have the words to reply, though. Elysium's words, what felt like a long time ago, came to her mind: _Family is more than just blood._

 ** _"_** ** _To that extent, love binds perhaps even faster than bloodlines; not to say that both cannot exist in tandem."_**

She squeezed her eyes shut, tears threatening to return. When his warm touch finally left her lips, she said quietly, "Very well, then. Let's go."

* * *

As Shoto had predicted, Aizawa allowed the two students to depart from Heights Alliance with only the stipulation of a proper escort to see them safely to Endeavor's estate. The car ride was more stiff than Kaida would have preferred, but once again, Shoto reassured her with a warm touch, his hand over hers as she fiddled with the cloth covering on the car seats.

When they finally arrived at the Todoroki estate, they found the door slightly ajar as a welcome. Shoto looked at it, unimpressed. "He could at least come out and wait to greet her," he muttered. "Let's go find the old man. Fuyumi and Natsuo are picking mom up, so he's probably home alone."

Kaida trailed along beside Shoto as they entered the foyer and kicked their shoes off. She noticed the rows of men's footwear, ranging from pristine work shoes to sneakers and hiking boots, while a single pair of heels — presumingly belonging to Fuyumi — was tucked under the bench. Kaida slipped her casual, but dainty flats alongside Fuyumi's shoes, oddly conscientious of hiding them away. She went to look for Shoto as he searched for his father.

They found Enji rather quickly, his location given away by the heavy stomping of his footsteps as he paced restlessly between the kitchen, dining room, and living room. His moustache twitched anxiously. _Anxiously?_

He noticed his son and Kaida watching him and stiffened, marching over to them to stand upright and painfully still. "Good… good afternoon."

Kaida had never seen Endeavor this awkward. She would have been amused, had concern not won over. Shoto was _not_ amused, and crossed his arms.

"...What are you doing?"

Enji started tapping his foot. "...Waiting."

 _He's actually nervous,_ Kaida realised. In a way, it was charmingly reassuring. They had reason to believe that Enji's motives were genuinely well-intended, if the act was enough to put him into such an uncharacteristically distressed state.

Shoto took it upon himself to offer advice. "First off, sit down. Please. You're going to break the tatami with your rampaging about."

Enji sat on the bench in the foyer, his broad frame occupying it in whole. Kaida was genuinely worried that it would collapse and crush her shoes. He started tapping his foot restlessly.

Kaida felt obliged to offer some words of reassurance as well, but nothing came to mind that didn't feel trite or forced. Fortunately, they were spared by the door bursting open, and Natsuo lumbered into the foyer with a duffel bag on each shoulder as he lugged a suitcase behind him. He grinned. "Yo! Bro, dad, and Kaida!"

"Natsuo, please keep moving," Fuyumi's voice came from somewhere out of sight, in her best _teacher-herding-small-children_ tone.

"Oops, yeah," Natsuo kicked his shoes off unceremoniously. Enji stood and nearly toppled the bench and his elder son in the process. He took the suitcase from Natsuo for lack of better means to make himself useful. "Thanks!" Natsuo chirped, oblivious to his father's mood of anxiety.

"Let's get out of the way," Shoto muttered, taking the suitcase from his father in turn. Kaida sidled along beside him, and Natsuo went down the hall to deposit the duffel bags.

Finally, Fuyumi appeared in the doorway, and held it open with a nervous smile. "Watch your step, mother; the mat can trip you up."

Rei laughed softly. "I'm not as old and frail as you make me out to be," she said, but took care to step across the threshold cautiously. Then she was addressed by her husband.

"Rei."

She tucked her snow-white hair behind her ears as she removed her shoes and stepped onto the tatami. Beside Enji, she looked even smaller than usual. But the way she regarded him was with quiet confidence; somewhere between an aloof once-over an expectant smile.

"Hello, Enji. Long time no see."

Watching them was like standing across from a vista that overlooked the mountains and the sea, far out of reach and yet still in full view because of their sheer size. Kaida stepped a bit closer to Shoto, tense with anticipation.

The silence that followed Rei's greeting seemed to stretch on indefinitely. Kaida could hear a clock ticking somewhere from somewhere farther within the house.

Then Enji abruptly moved. Rei gasped in surprise as he dropped to the floor, and bowed before her deeply.

"Rei Todoroki," he began, his voice solemn. "It is not my place to ask your forgiveness for all that has transpired between us in the past. Nor is it to offer my apologies for my shortcomings as a man, as a husband, and as a father — in the past. But as you have come here today, my hope is that I, that _we_ can better going forwards. Not start anew; for to disregard the past and wipe clean the slate would be a disservice to us all. It is my intention that we move forwards full aware of the sins of my past… that I may have the chance to do so as well."

 _Now that was wholly unexpected,_ Kaida could not help but gape in confusion. _Enji had not so much as had an exchange with Rei prior to this instance; as evidenced by the formality and purposefulness of his professions. But at the same time… then why did Rei agree to come home?_

Enji's flaming beard and moustache were turned down more than normal, flickering against the tatami flooring without leaving so much as a single singe. His cold blue eyes stared unmoving at the ground.

Then Rei's expression changed from surprise to a soft smile, the same smile that Kaida knew so well in Shoto. Rei slowly lowered herself to the ground and tipped Enji's head up; a rather comical motion, with how small her hand was compared to his jawline. She nodded.

"All right, Enji. I hear your words… let's try once more."

Taking her small hands in his and sitting up to his knees, Enji looked at the woman before him, as one would a songbird alighted on their windowsill, with the worry that any sudden motion could cause it to flee; he bowed his head again. "Never have I been a gentle man," he muttered. "And I do not pretend to claim that I can change overnight. But I swear to you, before our children — our future, that I will never harm this family again."

Kaida saw Shoto narrow his eyes, and felt his doubt. But she squeezed his arm reassuringly. _How else can we continue to have hope for a better future, if we are not willing to give the wrongdoings of the past a chance to resolve?_

Rei looked around, apologetically. "I think that's enough stiff standing around," she said, "if you don't mind, shall we finish moving my belongings in?"

"Yes, mother!" Fuyumi jumped from where she had been hovering out of the way. "I've prepared your room for you. Natsuo, Shoto, mind the baggage, please; before Kaida decides that she's got to lend a hand."

"It's really not a bother if I—" Kaida itched to do _something_ , but Shoto had already whisked Rei's suitcase out of reach. Kaida sighed, and was left lingering in the hallway as the Todoroki siblings and their mother went tromping up the stairs.

Enji remained.

"Tamashini."

She almost jumped when he called her name. "Er— yes?"

"Come, let's take a walk in the garden."

"Sure," Kaida rescued her shoes from under the bench. "I mean – yes." Recreationally spending time with Endeavor was not high on her to-do list, but she could either accept his invitation, or continue standing there in the hall like a lost cat waiting for the family to return.

The smooth stones that made up the path in the garden were a bit uneven; clearly catered more to aesthetics rather than accessibility. Kaida tread lightly, a bit behind Enji. He put his hands in his pockets and looked up at the sky. She tucked her hair behind her ear and tugged on her collar, letting her gaze roam across the blue, white, and pink hydrangeas planted in neat array around the garden; the small stream and decorative stone sculptures, a small shrine and well, overshadowed by the green, flowerless cherry blossom tree.

"Have you decided what you shall do going forwards, once your suspension is up?" Enji stopped under the tree, resting a hand on the edge of the well. The thin layer of moss looked soft, if a bit dry.

Kaida kept her eyes on the greenery, avoiding his scrutinous stare. "Truthfully, suspension from class is the least of my concerns; it could have been a far more severe punishment," she said measuredly. "To answer your question directly: no, I have yet to make a decision. I suppose I shall have to, sooner rather than later."

"Hm." Enji huffed, but not impatiently. Kaida peeked up at him, and saw that he was smiling wryly. "Indeed. Will you keep on the path that you chose, to live the life that your mother and father wanted for you; or will you follow in Akira's footsteps and cast that aside to best fulfill your destiny...? I can't say I've been there personally, but I have heard Kiyo-mizudera is far from the worst place to reside."

Kaida played a small blue flame between her fingers, letting the little wisp dance around as the wind stirred it back and forth. "The choice was made for her. My grandparents pushed her to live with the acolytes, marry and have a successor early, that she would be fit and ready to inherit Elysium's flame before my grandmother died and the torch would be passed out of _necessity._ But my situation is not quite the same."

"Why so?"

She blinked. _Is that a rhetorical question?_ Enji had his arms crossed, and was watching her with the same severity of attention, but his words were weighted with an earnest desire to hear her answer rather than to force her hand into the "correct" choice.

"I don't have quite the same motivation, I suppose. I can't think about saving the world or rising to the pedestal set before me because all I can see right now is the shortcomings and failures that stand before me, losing those I love; the guilt of letting family slip through my fingers."

"There is family in this world for you yet. You need only reach out and make it your own."

"Pave my own road, or something," she muttered, recalling the memory of her own words once.

"I'm being serious, Kaida. If you truly feel that what you lack in motivation is of a guilt for what you've lost, then start again. Start your own family."

That caught her almost more off-guard than what Enji had said to his wife earlier. Regardless of the fact that he had never called Kaida by anything other than a gruff _Tamashini_ , was he really insinuating that she…?

"At— at the risk of offending you, Enji-san," she tried to mask her flusteredness, "My mother and father were a very different affair than you and Rei. Their m…marriage was not a _gratuitous_ matter, much as those who guided her life would have wanted it to be, but—"

Enji shook his head. "I do not mean to insinuate that you should do as I did. In building my family with no consideration for Rei, I set us on the path that made me into the cruel man I've become. But you are not like I was, Kaida… and Shoto is not so frail as his mother."

Now Kaida was beet-red. "En—" She cleared her throat, but even then, her words failed her. "I…?"

The man before her couldn't help but laugh at how abruptly her composure had fallen apart. He rested a large, rough hand on her head, which would have been an affectionate gesture, had it not felt so forced. But the intention was there. "You needn't decide on _that_ just now," he chuckled. "I suppose this is simply my way of telling you… of reinforcing that the decision is still yours to make, and that should you choose this family, my promise to Rei stands the same as to you. I _will_ do better going forwards."

"Father! Kaida-chan! We've set the table for dinner!" Fuyumi's head poked out from the sliding door on the porch, and her raised teacher-voice called out to them. Glad for the rescue and still bewildered by the moment, Kaida followed Enji's awkward lead, and went back into the house without furthering their conversation.

* * *

After an absurdly large spread of far too much food for the six of them to eat, which Kaida could not imagine Fuyumi having had the time to prepare, Kaida and Shoto sat on the short rock wall along one of the estate's side gardens, watching the sun cast the painted shades of sunset across the cloudy sky. The evening was brisk, but not uncomfortably so, and with her long hair tucked to one side, she leaned ever-so-slightly against Shoto's left shoulder. He was humming a quiet tune to himself, which she faintly recognized, but did not want to disturb him to ask what it was.

Instead, she closed her eyes, taking the opportunity to appreciate the moment; to appreciate the rather astounding unfolding of events that had transpired for the Todoroki family, and that she had been welcome to experience it by Shoto's side.

She felt that she owed him a new degree of trust in return. His melody quietly cadenced and he stopped humming, then she spoke.

"I'm going to Kyoto tonight," she declared. "To see the acolytes. I can get there within two hours on wing. Will you come with me?"

He looked down in surprise at the invitation. "Are… are you sure it would be alright for me to be there?"

"After the embarrassing speech your father just gave me about family and all that, it would be rather insincere of me to not make it so," Kaida laughed.

Shoto blinked. "What speech?"

"…I'll tell you later, or some other time." She sighed. "Well?"

Rolling down the sleeves of his sweater, Shoto took her hand. "Of course I'll come along. I wouldn't let you face Aizawa's ire for missing curfew alone, should it come to that."

Their homeroom teacher's scolding seemed like so small a trouble that Kaida laughed in amusement. "Let me thank your parents again for their hospitality, and we can be on our way."

* * *

 **—** **Todoroki—**

The mountainside ushered crisp, cool air down from the rolling peaks, and were it not for the warm flames that danced between Kaida's feathered scales, it would have been a rather uncomfortable flight. Although he knew it was ridiculous to worry, Shoto was over-cautious as to cling to the irregular spires that ran down her spine for fear of tugging too hard or putting too much of an uncomfortable weight on the dragon's back; and as such, it took a lot more effort than it should have for him to stay balanced between her shoulders. She was taking care to fly low enough that the air would not be too uncomfortable for him to breathe with ease, but they were thusly in full view of every passerby on the roads and in the towns below.

 _But it doesn't seem to bother her._ Shoto resigned himself to a life of having his hair blindingly whipped around his eyes to the point where he wouldn't be able to take in the view, and rested his chin on her smooth scales. Not so long ago, he couldn't have imagined Kaida blitzing across the sky in such a blatantly visible display, but as the past year had unfolded, he didn't blame her for becoming indifferent to drawing attention.

 ** _"_** ** _We're almost there,"_** Kaida's voice echoed. **_"Heading down now."_**

Despite her warning, Shoto was unable to stifle an un-manly yelp as she turned her wings into the wind to slow down, and he slipped forwards dangerously. The dragon swept to a landing in a copse of trees, managing to arch her neck and catch Shoto before he could go tumbling off. She pressed the side of her triangular head against him as affectionately as a large creature could, before her form dwindled and shifted back to her human state.

"I'm still not quite used to long-distance flights; let alone carrying a passenger," she said apologetically.

"You did well, all things considered," Shoto stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jacket to hide the involuntary quivering. "I'm quite alright; I promise."

She exhaled in relief, sufficiently reassured. "Come then," she gestured for him to follow, "the entrance to the sanctum isn't far from here… if I remember correctly."

 _If I'm to get lost in the woods with someone, that someone being Kaida wouldn't be… all unpleasant._ Shoto kept from voicing such a fluffy, embarrassing thought, and started to hike along beside her.

Though Kaida didn't follow any particular trail that Shoto could make out, she wound her way through the trees and bracken with sureness in her steps. Burrs caught in her hair here and there, but she didn't bother to pick them out. Not long after, they came to a halt before an outcropping of white rock that protruded from the side of the mountain. Shoto hadn't been able to see how tall the peaks were above them, as it had been veiled by the trees, but tipping his head back, the distant conifers looked like they were only meters tall as they blanketed the rolling mountains.

"Tamashini… we were not expecting you."

When Shoto looked down, there was a white-robed man standing just in front of the wall, who was _definitely_ not there a moment ago. His voice was muffled by the mask covering the lower half of his face; he glanced over at the boy Kaida had brought along suspiciously, but did not ask about Shoto's presence. _Where did he come from…?_

Kaida seemed unfazed. "Pardon me for forgoing the formalities, Athos. I need to access the sanctuary to confirm something for myself."

The acolyte paused. "I believe I know of what you seek, for we have sensed it too. But come; from within the sanctum, your awareness will increase manifold. But I am sure you know that; which is why you came here in the first place." He suddenly turned to Shoto. "Come here, young one."

 _Me?_ Shoto knew that was a stupid question to voice, because there was no one else around, but to be abruptly addressed was unexpected. He did as Athos bid, with an supporting nod from Kaida.

"Take my hand and hers," he instructed, "and you will be allowed to pass through."

 _Just like that?_

Kaida slipped her hand into his, and he took the old man's hand in his other. Despite his age, Athos's grip was firm and sure. He addressed Shoto's unspoken question. "Not for many, many years have we allowed those not blessed by the dragon's light to enter the sanctum. But I can sense it in you, young man: the way that she has touched your soul, and you hers." He lowered his voice, and added, "She needs you now. So I bid you, walk beside her."

"Yes… sir." Shoto gulped as they pulled him forwards, towards the rock wall. He flinched instinctively and closed his eyes, expecting an impact, but together they passed through as easily as if the stone were not there. Looking over his shoulder, he could see the moonlight faintly glowing on the world beyond, but within the cavern that they had entered, it was stiflingly dark.

"He will not be able to see the dragon's light as we do," Athos explained, touching Kaida's arm. She lit a bright blue-white flame in the palm of her free hand, and it illuminated her face in the darkness. She fanned her fingers out, and the fire displaced out and spiraled around them, tracing its way along the walls. Shoto's eyes widened in wonder as he took in the sheer _size_ of the cave, and as Kaida's light danced along the walls, illuminating facets of light set in the stone.

"What about now?" Watching Shoto's reaction, she wore a small smile.

Athos nodded appreciatively. "That… will do. You are strong in the gift, though I should not be surprised."

"My closeness to Elysium is born of necessity," Kaida's smile faded, and her tone changed. "Not aptitude."

She began walking deeper into the cave, leading Shoto along, and Athos kept pace. "Not many have cheated death as you have on more than one occasion, especially at so young an age," he said gravely. "But by sustaining your life through Elysium's power, its soul and yours are almost irreversibly bound now. This could have serious implications for if you would desire to pass on Elysium's flame to your successors, within… your own lifetime."

"That's a matter for another day," Kaida brushed his words aside, but they created a tightness in Shoto's chest. Her recklessness had almost cost her greatly – and by extension, him. Along the road that he had chosen, paved beside hers, the thought of losing her along the way was too devastating for Shoto to envision. He stared at the ground, clenching his jaw. There was no regret in his heart for opening himself up to her, and choosing the difficulty of what it meant to involve himself with the girl whose life – whose _destiny_ – was perhaps the greatest burden of their time.

But where once was doubt at being worthy to stand by her side, he found determination.

To love Kaida Tamashini meant to seal his own fate. And through the year that had passed since their first meeting, he would never have thought his life would have changed as much as it did; but now that change was irreversible. He looked up, watching the sway of her long hair as she tread the dark cave ahead of him, and he knew with certainty: even if he could, he had no desire to turn back.

* * *

 **—** **Midoriya—**

The grapevine of Katsuki's lackeys, from Mineta to Kaminari to Kirishima, brought news of Kaida and Todoroki's late-night return and the wrath they incurred from Aizawa hence. Naturally, as the gossip from those three often spun, Katsuki had received a rather opinionated version of their observations, including the lewd fantasies of what the two could have _actually_ been up to so late at night or where they _actually_ went. But Izuku made a point to tell Iida, who made a point to shake Mineta and Kaminari down for spreading such inappropriate rumours.

Two days after, on a Monday morning, Izuku was pulled aside by the principal on his way to morning classes. Being assailed by a small white mouse-bear was alarming enough in its own right, but Nezu's uncanny ability to appear unexpectedly amidst a crowd had Izuku dropping his bags in surprise. After kindly helping the boy to collect his belongings, Principal Nezu had ushered Izuku along, guiding him to one of the small conference halls on campus.

"There will be a meeting and another press conference, and I think it's only fitting that you should be there," he had said, cheerily, before piling Izuku into the backstage area to prepare himself for the imminent surprise of being put on-camera.

Bewildered and quite honestly overwhelmed, he found himself standing in front of a dressing-mirror and helplessly fumbling with his messily-done uniform tie, each effort to straighten it only making the knot uglier and more lumpy. His thoughts raced as he struggled. _Isn't this a bit soon for another press conference, after the fronted one before the villain raid? Actually… how long_ has _it been, really?_

In the reflection of the mirror, he saw a familiar person's veil of black hair drifting past, only for them double-take and walk back to give Izuku a bemused stare.

"You're making matters worse." Kaida's chiding was not unkind, as she turned him around and fixed the necktie. Once deftly done, she crossed her arms and nodded approvingly at her handiwork. "Now all you're obliged to do is to stand tall and show the world your smile… your father's smile."

"Um," Izuku was still confused. "I can do that, I suppose, but — what exactly are we doing here?"

Kaida was expressionless as she responded. "We are the future, Midoriya. And henceforth that is what we must show ourselves to be."

 _Cryptic as ever,_ Izuku sighed in defeat. Kaida turned and led the way towards the meeting room without further dialogue, and he walked along at a trot to stay by her side. She went through the doorway, holding it open so that he could catch it behind her once she'd passed, and bowed courteously to those already seated in the room.

Izuku was once again surprised by the small cast before him; rather than the expansive panel at the last meeting, the only three adults present were Principal Nezu, Endeavor, and Hawks. Kaida took her seat at one end of the table, and nodded for Izuku to sit beside her.

"Thank you for your attendance with such short notice," Hawks grinned.

"Of course." Kaida said, with an obvious tone. "We're here to say what must be said, and sooner rather than later is the most sensible course of action."

"Indeed." Endeavor put his hands on the table in anticipation. "Well?"

"My assumptions were correct," Kaida looked down, solemnly. "The foray that I made to Kiyo-Mizudera confirmed as much. Unhappy as I am, and I would imagine you are, as well, to admit defeat... they're gone. Erebus and his followers are out of the reach of this plane, and their aetherical disappearance has been so absolute that to make a return trip with any sort of haste is entirely impossible."

Hawks ruffled his feathers. "How long do you reckon is beyond that 'with any sort of haste' timeframe? Weeks, months, years, decades?"

"Years, most likely." Kaida's voice was a monotone, but from her side, Izuku could see the whites of her knuckles as she kept her hands clenched in her lap. "If Elysium were to attempt the same, it would take an incredible amount of its power to traverse from this plane to its own, especially in the shattered capacity that both primordial beings are in. Erebus's rising had culminated over a very long period of time, but without a singular vessel or a bloodline, to return to its own dimension is the most practical course of action… in the long term."

"So what you're implicating is," Hawks sighed, "some sort of apocalyptic return of the chaos dragon, probably within our lifetimes, but _maybe_ not?"

"Slow down, Takami," Nezu said. "Throwing around the word 'apocalyptic' is the last thing anyone needs right now."

"And it's far from what will happen," Endeavor added gruffly, "because we're not going to just sit around waiting and twiddling our thumbs. We'll be ready whenever they make their return."

Izuku opened and closed his mouth once without actually speaking, before gathering his courage and taking a breath. "I… I don't think that's what we should see this time as," he ventured, testing the waters. All eyes turned to him, and he did his best to straighten his back and not shrink down awkwardly. "Waiting around, living in — in fear, and worry for the future; what would that make of our society, other than what the villains would want?"

"Precisely and astutely said, Midoriya." Nezu nodded in approval, clapping his paws together. "I am in complete agreement. Prepare and brace ourselves as we may, as those responsible for the safety of this world and its people, it is important for us to make sure that society returns to a peaceful way of life. What else is there to do for the common man, for the families of each and every domestic household, but to go about their lives, one way or another? I, for one, would not have the civilians cower indefinitely in fear. We must be the strength that society needs to move forwards, and keep growing: not just in preparation for the villains and their overlord's second coming, but for each man, woman, and child themselves."

"That's a very long-winded way to simply approve," Endeavor said. "But I think you have the right of it. Far be it from this small council to decide the fate of the world; but it falls to us to _guide_ those without power, into the future. Whatever it may hold."

"Quite so." Hawks rested his hands atop his head. "Well, an optimistic outlook will sell me pretty quickly, so I'll back this plan for working to pave over the… shortcomings we've had as of late, in terms of protecting the peace." He swiveled in his chair to look between Kaida and Izuku. "What about these two, though? I mean — obviously, your intel is _essential_ , Tamashini; and Midoriya's precocious wisdom as well. But you're both quite young yet."

Nezu smiled kindly. "Tell me, you two… what kind of life would you envision, if you would want to best thrive in this future that we will aspire to?"

Kaida looked expectantly at Izuku. _O-oh,_ he shuffled his feet, his red sneakers generating a bit of static from their friction with the carpet. _Me first?_

In spite of his instinctive want to over-think the matter before giving his answer, Izuku folded his hands before him, and gave himself only a few moments.

 _These hands… my hands._ His thoughts moved bunglingly slowly, but he let them unravel on their own. _From my mother's gentle upbringing, and All Might's powerful gift… what will I do? What will I build, with these hands?_

"I want to learn," he began, "because I want to become the best that I can. I want to stand as tall as the rest of you around me, as one of the pillars of strength, like my dad was. But I want to be realistic in my path to do so — and by that means, I want to learn all that I can, from everyone that I can."

"Good answer," Endeavor nodded in approval. "Your education will serve you well, no doubt; and with the guidance of Hawks and I and the other top heroes besides, we'll knock you into shape." His flame moustache twitched. "And… what about you, Tamashini?"

"I've done a great deal of thinking, since you last asked," Kaida met Endeavor's stare evenly. She smiled, a confident expression, but juxtaposed with the sad, distant look in her eyes. The fires that danced beneath her surface reflected a chaos that she saw beyond the sight of the ordinary man; but it was one that she observed from a safe distance. It wasn't the fight or flight that raged around her in their battles of the past, it was the resolute and watchful countenance of that guardian observing from the other side of the looking-glass.

"And, I've decided…"

* * *

The next two hours were a blur. Izuku, Kaida, the top heroes, and the principals of UA and Shinketsu gathered in the conference hall, which was filled to bursting with an audience of various political leaders and reporters. There, proceedings had carried on with an austere, serious mood, while Endeavor handed the official statement over to _Izuku_ to read — which was subsequently tailed by Kaida's recount and full disclosure of the situation regarding the primordial dragon, Erebus, and its followers. Kaida's resolute countenance had remained a steady mask even as the newsmen and reporters clamoured about and the crowd rose in an uproar, combined with the blinding flashes of _way too many_ cameras going off all at once. Izuku did his best to smile and wave, but by the end of it all, he was seeing spots. Before he knew it, it was all over, and Hawks was piloting them off-stage.

Then they were back on campus, standing before UA's gates in time for lunch, about to head to the cafeteria as if it had been a completely normal day; as if nothing had ever changed. Kaida stood a bit ahead of Izuku, the wind thankfully blowing her hair _away_ from him instead of straight into his face; he was reminded of their very first day, and how he had watched her navigate her way through the press with a confident and even stride. And yet, as they stood together then, neither taking the first step to return to the building, Izuku no longer felt like he had when he stood a block away, staring at the back of her head.

He stepped up to her side, and reached over to squeeze her hand. She had her head tipped back, watching the perfect reflection of the fluffy clouds drifting through the azure sea above them, mirrored in the tall glass windows of UA. Her usual sullen expression was not present, but she wore something half a shade less than a proper smile. When Izuku touched her, she sighed, and turned to him.

It was as if nothing had changed, and yet somehow, everything had changed.

"Thank you," she said with a bow, "for facing those people with me. It means a lot to not have to shoulder the weight of the… the future, on my own."

"Well," Izuku laughed, "I can't quite support you like Todoroki-kun does, but I'll certainly always stand by your side. Whatever the future holds, Kaida; we'll all face it together. Just because we've faced some losses doesn't mean that we'll be any less capable of protecting those that we still can."

Kaida nodded in agreement. "Yes… I'm starting to come to terms with the comfort of that reality." She shook her head. "There's nothing to be gained by taking blame unto myself; although unburdening that will not be an overnight change. Speaking with full disclosure, just now; that was the first step, but certainly not the last."

"It's pretty much all we can do for now, though," Izuku scratched his nose. "In terms of concluding everything that's come to pass; and taking this time to return and help rebuild symbols of peace – not just me, of course, but—"

Kaida tugged on the lapel of her jacket. "For me, there's still one thing left to do just yet. And then; only then will I be ready to start walking into this new future beside all of you."

* * *

 **—** **Hagane—**

The scents of boiling broth delivering a bouquet of flavors wafted through the house, accompanied by the tinkling of tempura crumbs as she prepared the shrimp for frying. She turned the stove up a bit on the pot of oil.

"Moooooommmmm," her daughter's pouty whine came with a tugging on her apron. "When is she getting here?"

"Soon, sweetie," she smiled down at the nine-year-old girl. "The rice crackers are done, and should be cool enough to eat by now – have one to tie yourself over, okay?"

The little girl jumped up and down excitedly. "Okay!" She dashed off to the dining room, disappearing into loud crunching. _All of the kids are weak for rice crackers,_ she shook her head in amusement; then casually reached over into the pot of hot oil and dipped her finger in to test the temperature, unfazed by the heat.

* * *

 **Hitoka Hagane  
Former hero name: Tatara**

 **Quirk: Human Forge  
Her body is a working forge, which melded her skeleton with steel and allows her to construct metal appendages. As a result, she is highly impervious to heat and burns.**

* * *

Heavier stomping heralded her other child making his entrance to the kitchen. "Who's coming over?" He asked, a bit grumpily. Hitoka didn't have to look over to imagine her son's ruffled grey hair and ornery orange glower.

* * *

 **Ren Hagane**

 **Quirk: Elbows of Steel  
His elbows are reinforced with sharpenable, unbreakable super-steel, capable of withstanding great force or usage.**

* * *

"Kaida," Hitoka stated plainly, and started dunking the tempura into the fryer.

"...Hmph." Ren's scowl was evident in his tone.

"What do you mean, _hmph?_ " There was a metallic bristling noise as the daughter came dashing in again, her voice muffled by rice cracker-crunching. "Kaida-nee hasn't been over in _forever_."

* * *

 **Tamae Hagane**

 **Quirk: Locks of Steel  
The fibers in her hair are made of filaments of super-steel that can be individually controlled. She can sharpen their edges into dangerous points, and even use her locks to slash and crush most objects.**

* * *

Now, with the girl's attitude, Hitoka could hear Tamae's hair getting dangerous. She turned around and crossed her arms to intervene before one of her kids could get hurt. _I've got about thirty seconds before that shrimp over-cooks,_ she started a mental timer in her head.

"No bickering," she said, her voice still light but stern. "Kaida is coming over for dinner and you will be _polite_ , Ren. As for you, Tamae—" she pointed an oily finger at her daughter, "—don't pester her too much, ok? She's been very busy lately and could do with a bit of calm and quiet, I'm sure."

Ren shrugged and exited the room to go toss himself into a beanbag in the adjoining den. Tamae bobbled her head. "Okay!"

Hitoka smiled amicably. "Good girl. Do you want to help set the table?"

"Yes!" Instead of scuffing everything around her, Tamae's locks zipped over to the cabinets and fetched a set of silverware for four, and skipped back off to the dining room. The mother sighed; with about two seconds to spare, she rescued the shrimp from the fryer, triumphant in their golden-brown hue, and started battering the veggies, while stirring the broth with her other hand.

It had been a while since she'd prepared Kaida's favorite food, but Hitoka had certainly not lost her culinary touch, and was determined to make the _perfect_ nabeyaki-udon. She fixed her mind on that determination, only glossing over the thought that it had also been a while since Kaida had been over at all, as Tamae had noted, but that particular dinner ought to be just right. Hitoka knew that it was only a matter of time before Kaida would want to come over and talk; a dinner invitation with enticing her with her favorite food was far more comfortable than sitting the poor girl down for a parley.

Besides… Kaiketsu's father was at work, so that night, with just Hitoka and the two children, would be the best bet at things remaining calm. _And... he's out there looking for our son._

Kaida rang the doorbell not long after, and Tamae had sprinted to fetch her. The food just done and waiting to be served, Hitoka went along with her daughter. The door was already open by the time Hitoka made it to the foyer, and Tamae was leaping into Kaida's arms.

"Kaidaaaaa~!"

Kaida seemed surprised at the unbridled excitement with which she was greeted, but Tamae's enthusiasm brought a contagious smile.

"Look at you," Kaida laughed, "have you grown even bigger? And your hair's getting so long!"

Tamae giggled. "I want to grow it as long as yours!"

"Then _you_ have to brush it yourself," Hitoka sighed, and peeled Tamae off of their visitor. "Welcome, dear."

Kaida bowed courteously. "Thank you – pardon the intrusion."

"Please," Hitoka tapped the top of Kaida's head as she bowed. "You should know better than to need to greet me like that. Kick your shoes off and come on in while the food's still hot."

Kaida straightened up, a bit stiffly. "Okay," she said. Tamae eagerly grabbed onto Kaida's hand and towed her into the house.

After helping Tamae finish setting the table, Kaida was seated beside the little girl while Hitoka hollered for Ren to get into the dining room. She expertly doled out the udon into four steaming-hot bowls, dishing them out onto the table around the platter of tempura and rice crackers.

"Oh, wow," Kaida's eyes widened at the spread. " _I—Itadakimasu…_ "

"I-ta-da-ki-massssssssu!" Tamae cheered, and reached for a fistful of rice crackers.

Hitoka watched her children and Kaida with the vigilance of a lioness observing her pride. Beneath Kaida's polite, stiff exterior and her earnest attempts to make Tamae smile, Hitoka could see how troubled the girl was, at the haunted flicker that hid behind her eyes. _But that's why she's here, isn't it? To fight off those demons._ She decided to take the initiative and slide along from the small talk.

"I take it that you've been busy with your studies?" Hitoka smiled. "It's almost time for exams again, if I'm not mistaken."

"Next week, yes," Kaida nodded. "I've spent as much time as I can while not training trying to get caught up on classwork."

"I'm sure you'll be fine," Ren muttered. "Prodigy that you are, and all that."

Hitoka scowled dangerously. "You look well, all things considered," she said. "And quips aside, you've always been a strong academic."

Kaida laughed, a bit nervously. "I hope to be able to maintain that," she took a sip of tea.

"You were on TV the other day, right?" Tamae asked, with her mouth full. "I was at school so I didn't get to see it, but I heard from my teachers that it was a big deal!"

"I didn't get to watch the whole conference, myself," Hitoka added, truthfully.

Kaida hesitated for a moment, swirling her teacup before placing it back down before her. "It was about the people associated with the recent crimes… and Kaiketsu," she began.

Hitoka sat back in her chair. She had yet to broach the subject of Kaiketsu, and she didn't have the intention to do so herself, until Kaida was ready to speak. _But now seems a good opportunity to give her the floor._ Tamae's smile faded, and she went for a slurp of soup. Ren stopped eating to glower at Kaida. Under their expectant looks, Kaida began to recapitulate what she had delivered on the news.

"In a positive spin," she fiddled with the fringe of her blouse, "things will be safer from now on. As for myself, and the others of my – my generation, our best course of action is to continue on as we had before. We have the space to work on recovering because the place that the villains have gone off to is… far out of reach. But this means that for now, there's nothing we can—"

"Nothing we can do for Kaiketsu, right?" Ren interrupted. "Yeah, duh. But it's not like you were able to keep people safe while they _were_ around, anyway."

Kaida flinched visibly.

"Ren…" Tamae's shoulders slumped, and her little brow drooped down over her eyes.

"What? It's the truth. If it weren't for his relationship with her, Kaiketsu would still be around."

"Ren Hagane." Hitoka pointed her chopsticks at him. "That's _enough_."

"You can't be mad at me for saying what's true!" Ren raised his voice, and pounded his fist on the table.

"Ren, don't get mad," Tamae's hair was starting to bristle as her brother's tensions were starting to affect her own emotional state. "You know Kaida's always doing her—"

"Her _best?_ " Ren spat. "Well, then her best isn't enough."

"OUT." Hitoka stood, and pointed a glowing finger at the door. "Both of you. I will _not_ tolerate this kind of behaviour at my dinner table. You can come back and eat once you've cooled down."

Tamae sniffled, on the verge of tears, but she went around the table to grab Ren by his metallic elbows and tow him away. He shoved his chair aside and stormed off, slamming the sliding door shut behind him.

Hitoka turned back to Kaida as she sat down. "Please excuse them," she apologised. Kaida had her hands pressed in her lap, but her shoulders trembled tellingly. She stared down at her soup.

"No, he's… he's right." She shook her head and closed her eyes. "It's because of me that Kaiketsu is gone."

Hitoka didn't have the words to offer for comfort. She let Kaida spill her thoughts and confessions out.

"He loved me," she whispered, "and I failed to protect him. If I were stronger, wiser – a _better_ person, maybe I could have stopped them. Maybe I could have saved him, and the others. But then again, even my mother couldn't save All Might… or herself, in the end. Perhaps the benevolent dragon made a mistake in placing the stakes of this world in the foolish fragility of human nature."

"Well, I can't speak for Elysium," Hitoka chuckled, "but I can speak for myself, and as one of so many people bound to 'human nature.' Our imperfection is what makes us so special. Our resilience to grow from our failures; our constant evolution and reinvention of self – that progress is what keeps the world turning. Whatever the gods would or would not do to intervene, that's the reality of things. We can only do what we can."

"What if what I can isn't enough?" Kaida echoed Ren's thoughts.

"Then you keep working until it _is_ enough." Hitoka crossed her arms. "If everyone gave up because they realised their shortcomings, no one would ever get anywhere, would they? Like I just said, Kaida — _learning_ and _growing_ from our mistakes is what drives change."

She could see her words sinking in as Kaida thought on them for a long moment. The girl sighed, and Hitoka wasn't sure if it was a sniffle preceding tears or a sneer, until Kaida spoke.

"You know; after I spoke beside Midoriya and the other heroes, and I made my decision to stay on and finish my education, to continue along the path that I had chosen… I was confident, that I had made the right choice. That it's what my family would have wanted, and that it's the best thing I can do for them. But then I remembered that… there's still a family that I owe a great debt to." She looked up at Hitoka.

"Hagane-san… I'm sorry. I'm so, _so_ sorry. It's unfair that I even have the liberty to make that choice to live my life when we have no idea where Kaiketsu is or if he will ever be able to choose that for himself."

"I don't think it'll make you feel any better if I say 'I accept your apology, Kaida,'" Hitoka laughed. Kaida looked surprised at the outburst. "Listen. All we can do is keep trying. And I see that – I see _you_ , that you are trying so very hard. That's all I could ask of you, and I will not accept your apology, because I will thank you for continuing to fight on." She rested her chin in her elbow, leaning over the table.

There was a knock on the wall and the sliding door opened a crack. Ren and Tamae's heads peeked into the dining room. Hitoka's smile flipped into a scowl like a lightswitch. "Did I say you two could come back in?"

Rather bravely, Ren opened the door a bit more and bowed his head. He sniffled, and Hitoka's heart softened when she saw her son's face red from crying, and the little stains on the side of his shirt where Tamae had clung to him, sharing in his tears. "Mom… Kaida…" he mumbled, "I shouldn't have said what I said. I'm just — we're just—"

"We just miss Kaiketsu," Tamae's face was crumpled up.

"There isn't anything else we can do, so it's really frustrating…"

"That doesn't make it okay to take it out on Kaida," Hitoka sighed. To her surprise, Ren nodded.

"Yeah, I know. Because… because she's the best bet we have at getting him back, someday."

Hitoka could almost cry along with them, with her chest swelling and almost bursting with a mixture of pride and pain; pride in her children's strength, pain for their loss and hers. But before she could stand and go to comfort them, Kaida had already risen from her seat, and knelt down before Ren and Tamae.

Her back was turned to Hitoka, so she couldn't see Kaida's expression, but her voice had changed from its quavering, tense tone with which she had delivered her professions earlier.

"Hey," she said, softly, and offered a hand to each of them. Tamae took it without hesitation, but Ren stopped to wipe his dribbly nose and just look at her. "I want to make you a promise."

"A promise?" Ren said, uncertainly.

"Yeah, like a… a pledge."

 _A pledge._ Hitoka found herself tearing up.

A pledge... a promise. As the Hagane family and their ancestors had for so many years, dating back to the days of the samurai and shinobi alike; wherein they would swear a sacred vow to uphold, as long as they would live. The way Kaida spoke evoked that message more so than Hitoka had ever heard her husband go on about in his lectures and history lessons.

Ren seemed to feel the same message, and squeezed Kaida's hand tightly.

"I swear to you," Kaida said, her voice finally steady, "that I will someday become strong enough that you can believe in me. Someone that Kaiketsu would be proud to know. Until then, and after then, everything — _everything_ that I do to better myself, to fight for others, to keep people safe; I will do with Kaiketsu in mind. And someday, I will find him, and bring him back to you. I promise."

 ** _"_** ** _I promise._** **"**

When she repeated her final words, her voice reverberated with an otherworldly strength; with a certainty that only a being that had lived through all the ages could possibly know. It was _her_ voice, but also _its_ voice, and in that moment HItoka knew:

She knew that Elysium had not been mistaken in placing its trust to Tamashini.

* * *

 _ **Next Chapter: To Us, Seven Years Hence**_


	18. (PART 2) XVII: To Us, Seven Years Hence

**PART II: A NEW ERA**

* * *

 ** _Seven Years Later._**

* * *

 _The wide screen displays a shaky, but sharp image, in spite of the chaos and wreckage of the scene portrayed. Clouds of dust and explosions billow out from all sides. It becomes evident that the footage is from a body camera, as the person it's attached to begins to run, and his white gloves are visible on the corners of the lens. He's sprinting for three people standing in the centre of the street before him – though vastly differing in appearances, they all wear a matching earpiece, the team's uniform communications devices._

 _The hero approaches his comrades, breathing heavily but far from out of breath. The tallest of the three turns to look at him expectantly, his narrow red eyes squinting from the frame of his black mask._

 _"_ _Well, Deku? Is that the last of the evacuees?"_

 _"_ _Yes! How are things here?"_

 _He moves to stand beside the tall, spiky-haired man who had addressed him, and for a brief moment the camera captures the other two teammates. One is a slim, but well-built man with two-toned, red-and-white hair, dressed in a dark blue outfit. Flames dance along his left arm – to his side, seemingly unbothered by how close her long black hair driftes to her partner's fire, a woman stares straight ahead, her blazing blue eyes lined with an otherworldly glow. She speaks._

 _"_ _Well. We have a perimeter on lockdown. Thanks to Shoto and Ground Zero's complete and utter lack of subtlety, the villains we're dealing with certainly know who's come after them. They're almost certainly trying to plan an escape."_

 _"_ _Bah!" The spiky-haired hero scoffs. "Like we're gonna let these losers slip away."_

 _"_ _We've still got our trump cards, after all," Shoto murmurs._

 _"_ _Let's do it…!" The voice from behind the camera says, and his teammates nod. In a flash of green lightning, he leads the charge, straight at the building ahead of them._

 _He reaches his hand out, and the ground before him dips suddenly, forming a slope, taking the forwards-facing side of the building down with it and tearing the chunk of wall free from the rest of the building._

* * *

 ** _One For All_**

 ** _Ability: Earthshift  
_** _Enables the bearer to manipulate the elevation of the earth directly around them, taking anything on the surface along with it._

* * *

 _Swinging his other arm around and into view, he throws what looks like a handful of balls at first glance, but they begin to glow brightly, as they fly into the newly-created opening in the building. "Kaida!" He shouts, and in a rush of wind around him, the daylight is blotted out by a massive silhouette, eclipsing the sun with an ethereal glow. As the dragon lunges past, he crouches to the ground, and a shimmering orange barrier bubbles out around Deku and his other two teammates._

* * *

 ** _One For All_**

 ** _Ability: Barrier  
_** _While immobile, the user can erect a shield that can protect from either elemental or physical sources, for a brief period of time._

* * *

 _The orbs that he had thrown earlier explode, but the deafening noise and blinding light are muffled by the barrier – and the three heroes within ready for battle._

* * *

 **—** **Midoriya—**

The image paused, and the newscaster whistled in amazement. "I'm sure the rest of the world has seen this clip by now, but still, what a showing! That combo-move of your Flashbang and Elysium's shift is _such_ an impressive opener."

Izuku rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Ahaha… Well, we've worked hard at making our teamwork as effective as possible. With the range of Quirks between the four of us, there's a lot to work with!"

"Indeed!" The reporter clapped her hands together, still starry-eyed. "I think it's definitely safe to say that the Four Cardinal Heroes are the greatest team to have ever existed – not to mention the historical significance of top heroes all choosing to work together, rather than individually. There's certainly more money in having your own agencies, after all; even after all this time, how come you've all stuck it out together?"

"It shouldn't be about money," Izuku replied. "What's most important is our solidarity. In today's world, I think it's a big deal for the people to see that even those in the limelight depend on one another."

"Ahh, how honorable…! Not only that, but with three of you being the successors of the former top three heroes, you've had huge shoes to fill. Yet here you are, Deku: blazing a path even brighter than All Might had!"

"Oh, I wouldn't say that," Izuku laughed. "Just because I'm flashy – er… no pun intended – doesn't make me a better man than him, by any means. One for All was mastered by him in his own way. Also, maybe people with more powerful Quirks have an advantage, but even those with weird Quirks can be top-ranking heroes. I mean, look at Lemillion, for example."

On cue, the screen behind the reporter shifted to an image of the number four hero.

* * *

 **Mirio Togata**

 **Quirk: Permeation  
** He can turn his body intangible, allowing him to travel through normally solid surfaces!

* * *

"It's about learning to use your Quirk to its full potential," Izuku concluded.

Beside him, Shoto nodded in agreement. Despite his taller, more mature appearance, the time passed hadn't done much to his stoic personality.

The caster bobbled her head excitedly. "What an answer! That said, I must say that it's a shame that we couldn't bring all four of you in today for the interview. I'm sure you've all got so many great things to say—"

"Kaida doesn't know what 'a day off' means," Shoto muttered.

"It's the weekend, though!" The reporter protested.

"Weekends can sometimes be our busiest days," Izuku said, "so she and Katsuki are holding down the fort so that Todoroki-san and I can be here."

"Ah, I suppose I should stop being so greedy, then," the reporter laughed, a bit embarrassed. "Well then – tell me, Midoriya: how was your trip to America, speaking of Ground Zero?"

Izuku turned bright red. "W-Well, it was… lovely!" He nervously spun the ring on his left hand under his gloves. "Uh. Umm?" He opened and closed his mouth two more times without finding more to say on the matter.

"You certainly surprised a lot of your fans with the decision to tie the knot. I'm sure there are many girls out there with broken hearts."

Izuku could practically hear Katsuki's scoff from the near future, when he'd watch that interview footage.

 _Pah!_ He would say, _Tough shit for them!_

Izuku cleared his throat. "Uh, well," he reminded himself to sit up straighter; even if his incurable camera-shyness would not begone, his height and frame helped him feign the confidence that he needed as the Symbol of Peace. But then he resorted to throwing Shoto under the bus. "Todoroki and Tamashini are quite the inspirational couple, you know? Not that the four of us weren't working well together without m-marriage, but, well, it's just a nice official thing, for each of us mini-teams to be… official." He coughed again, surprising the old-time squeak in his voice that threatened to surface from his awkwardness and embarrassment.

Shoto's grey eyebrow twitched, especially when the reporter turned to him expectedly. "Well, that's for sure. How do you and Tamashini manage? What's your secret to being top heroes _and_ parents?"

Izuku couldn't help but grin as he saw Shoto's scowl crank upwards into a straight line and a shadow of a smile. _Getting at his soft spot. Classic newsperson tactics._

"Not much secret to it," Shoto shook his head. "We just manage, I suppose."

* * *

In the backseat of their car, while the driver started the engine and cruised out of the parking lot, Izuku let out a massive exhale.

"PHOO. Thank god that's done with." He tugged at his tie, loosening the choke-hold it had around his neck. It immediately became easier to breathe, and he gulped down several more breaths.

Shoto blinked impassively. "How is it that you perform perfectly fine on the field of combat… but in the complete and utter safety of a newsroom, the threat of asphyxiation looms over you?"

Izuku laughed. "In one situation, the threat is something that I can actively fight against… in the other, I'm still not quite equipped to do so."

"You should see a therapist about your anxiety."

"I don't need a therapist!" Izuku exclaimed.

"…That's what someone who needs a therapist would say, Midoriya-sama." The driver looked at Izuku and Shoto through the rear-view mirror, adding his commentary.

"Niimi-san, not you too…! Well, besides the point, next time it's the others' turn to sit in the newsroom."

"Bold of you to assume," Shoto murmured. "Perhaps you'd be able to convince Katsuki, but you know Kaida doesn't do interviews. She doesn't like it when people ask about Kousuke and Hikari."

Izuku sighed in agreement. "And no one would dare poke at a mother dragon."

* * *

 **—** **Tamashini—**

She tented her wings as she came to a landing on the rooftop, shifting just as her legs touched the ground. As she made her way across the landing platform and to the terrace, she frowned at the sight of the blonde, spiky-haired man who laid stretched out on one of the lawn chairs, sporting a pair of large sunglasses.

"Katsuki… Slow day, I take it."

He cracked an eye open, pulling his shades off without even a shred of guilt. "Good afternoon to you too," he grumbled. "I'm keeping an eye on my communicator, don't get your feathers… scales… whatever, in a bundle. To answer your question, yes. It's a goddamn nice day out, so like me, I assume all the bad guys are enjoying the weather."

Kaida pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "Well. I suppose you're not wrong. All quiet on my way back, at least."

"Mm-hmm." Ground Zero said matter-of-factly. "We've got plenty of patrols out and about anyway. 'Zuku and IcyHot should be back from their dumb interview sooner or later, so I bet you'll get yelled at if you go back out there again."

"When has anyone ever yelled except you?" Kaida crossed her arms.

He shrugged unapologetically. "How're the geezers in dragon-town? Still semi-immortal and all that, I take it?"

Kaida was unamused. "Athos and the other acolytes are in good health, and I'm sure they would be flattered that you asked after them. Other than that, nothing new to report."

A flicker of a frown crossed Katsuki's face. "…Sorry to hear that. Maybe next week."

"Maybe next week." Kaida nodded, pulling her wind-swept hair out of her face. "I'll leave you to your… siesta, then. See you at dinner."

As stated, she took her leave, and headed into the covered stairwell. In her sturdy boots, her quick footsteps echoed around the walls, and she didn't break pace until reaching the elevator landing. Pressing her hand to the biometric scanner, she boarded the elevator, and briefly considered going down to the offices downstairs to check on the weekend staff, but when by the time the chrome doors slid shut, she let out a long, heavy sigh, jabbing the button to take her down to the penthouse level.

It was an incredibly short elevator ride, and Kaida was resolved to only give herself that thirty seconds to get over the last of her frustration before burying it once more. She closed her eyes, and took a long, deep breath. The long flight from Kiyo-Mizudera was never long enough to burn away the empty desperation left in the wake of every trip, the repeated blanks with every attempt at reaching out through the void – and even then, when she had started making the trip less and less often, she railed against hopelessness.

 _In some ways, the silence is something to be grateful for,_ she thought. _It means that we still have this time of peace._

The elevator dinged cheerily, and she blinked her eyes open. There was one more door between her and her destination, one more threshold to cross before her dread and remorse would melt away, swept under by the life waiting for her beyond that next threshold.

As the door to the penthouse opened smoothly, the first thing Kaida heard was the sound of the television, playing a cheerful tune of some obscure animated show. Her entry was further masked by the rattling and clattering coming from the kitchen, where the scent of baking sugar cookies drifted into the foyer. The slightest rattle of the closet door as she slipped off her boots and set them away somehow permeated the domestic din, and a white-haired woman's head peered around the corner.

"Welcome home, Kaida," Rei smiled in greeting. She was wearing a light blue apron, the front of which was dusted in flour and sugar, invisible bits of which doubtlessly clung to her hair.

The pitter-patter of two small sets of feet gave Kaida a familiar warm buzz in her heart, and she stooped down to one knee in preparation. Inko's voice called out in warning. "Hikari! Kousuke! No running in the kitchen!"

But two sets of brilliant blue eyes glittered with unapologetic excitement as the twin children burst around the corner, sliding purposefully on the hardwood floor with the slipperiness of their socks. "Mama!" The girl squealed in excitement. Her shoulder-length hair was falling out of its ponytail, a dusting of flour very visible on her dark strands blending into the white lock of hair on her left side. As she ran to Kaida's open arms, little snowflakes trailed in her wake.

* * *

 **Hikari Tamashini**

Unnamed Quirk  
As the daughter of the current Divine Dragon bearer, and one of two possible heritors, she is able to emit a healing aura. Additionally, she seems to have some degree of ice manipulation, from her father's side. She threw her arms around Kaida's neck and squeezed tightly. "Well, well? Did you bring me more shinys?"

* * *

"Of course I did, sweetheart." From one of the compartments at her waist, Kaida produced a small, shimmering glass ball, threaded on a light piece of rope. Like many of the gifts that she brought back for her daughter, it was forged from the infused materials from the sanctum; in this case, a special glass fired from the sands that erode off of the aetherically-infused walls. Hikari squealed with delight as she accepted the present, and dashed off down the hallway, presumably to add it to her collection.

Kaida stood to greet her son; slightly taller than his twin sister, he was certainly the more laid-back of the two… _Which is a blessing,_ Kaida thought, _given the nature of his Quirk as it manifests._

* * *

 **Kousuke Tamashini**

Unnamed Quirk  
As the son of the current Divine Dragon bearer, and one of two possible heritors, he is able to emit a healing aura. He has also developed a fire-producing ability, with particularly and incredibly hot flames.

* * *

"Finished with your studies?"Kaida asked, ruffling his hair.

Kousuke nodded sagely. "Of course. So I can just watch TV and play all night and tomorrow."

"Not all night," Kaida laughed, "you do still have to adhere to bedtime."

"Hikari didn't finish her maths practise," Kousuke blurted out.

"How about instead of tattling, you help her with that, then?" Kaida stood up, scooping her son easily onto her hip as she did so. He pouted in protest, and she smiled, wiping a bit of flour off of his nose.

Carrying him into the kitchen and setting him down on one of the chairs by the counter, Kaida greeted Rei and Inko. Rei had returned to scooping dollops of dough onto another pan, while Inko was hovering by the oven, peering in through the glass window anxiously.

"Do… do you need a hand?" Kaida asked.

Inko fiddled with the strings on her apron. "Are they done yet?" She didn't seem to hear Kaida's question. "They're so nice and round but not brown at the edges yet. Are they supposed to be soft, or crispy? Or crispy on the outside and soft on the inside?"

Rei sighed and set the last tray of unbaked cookies atop the counter to await their turn in the oven. "She's like this every time we try a recipe that isn't a Midoriya tradition," she said to Kaida. "Have I ever steered this household wrong?"

"Of course not!" Inko exclaimed, straightening up indignantly. "I mean no offence to your culinary experience, Todoroki-san, but I can't help but worry! Cookies are an ART!"

"A delicate art," Kaida agreed. She made the executive decision to reach past Inko and rescue the tray from the oven.

The intoxicatingly sweet smell brought Hikari sprinting out of her room. "Yes, yes, yessss! We've been waiting all day!"

"Wait until after dinner, or you'll spoil your appetite," Kaida sighed, though she immediately knew she would soon be overruled.

"Injustice!" Inko crossed her arms, donning her oven mitts and plucking the tray from Kaida's hands. "They shall each get half of a freshly-baked cookie."

"It's a bit of a waste if they're not enjoyed straight out of the oven," Rei agreed.

From the counter, Kousuke cleared just throat loudly. "Well, if we eat dinner now, then we can have cookies sooner."

A pair of sunglasses slid across the counter, and Katsuki made his entrance. He plopped his elbows on the counter beside Kousuke and grinned. "This one's smart," he jerked a thumb at the boy. "And perfect timing, too."

Kaida tipped her head back in defeat. "Very well.. I suppose." She knocked Katsuki's elbows off of the table as she went past. "I'm going to change and have a quick shower. Make yourself useful with dinner prep, Katsu."

He rolled his eyes, but flexed his well-muscled arms over his head. "Aight, kiddos. Let's get cracking. Ma, Rei — what's on the menu?"

* * *

As Kaida stepped into the bathroom, having shed her outfit, wrapping herself in a towel and running the shower, she felt her mind wandering once more.

Seven years. It had been _seven years_ since the departure of Erebus's forces, and her childhood friend with them. Kaida and Kaiketsu had parted on far from what could be called good terms, and that fact clawed at her mind and dreams far too often. She knew, in her heart of hearts – or perhaps Elysium's – that Kaiketsu was still alive… but whatever fate he had been subjected to, she could not put her fear into words. She would wake up in the middle of the night shaking uncontrollably, wracked with dreams of his imagined suffering and torment, often unable to fall back asleep.

But on most nights, her family was there; Shoto was there to ease her mind back to the peace of the present, and hold her until the terror had faded. Not only him – Izuku, Katsuki, Inko, Rei... The little family that they had all built together was Kaida's village, her invaluable support and roots through each day as they forged ever onwards to the future.

The hot water washed over her head, and she tipped her face back into it. There were decisions that she'd made; choices that she lived by, and she had not once faltered in staying true to those. _No matter how troubled my mind may be._

First and foremost in her world, Hikari and Kousuke. From the day they had been born, she knew that they would always come first. All the troubles of everything else, of her unresolved past; those faded in priority compared to the devotion she had for her daughter and son. Kaida could not help fear that they would be subjected to the fearful fate that she had, after losing Akira.

But Kaida was not her mother. Hikari and Kousuke would not be sheltered from the reality of the world, they would be raised aware of their lineage without misconceptions or delusions of glory, learning to embrace the Divine Dragon with both respect and a modicum of fear. In that, neither child was anything like Kaida in her youth. Kousuke was quiet, thoughtful, and down-to-earth, if not a tad smug at times. Hikari's bubbly spirit, which often made those who didn't know her as well think that she was less serious and book-smart than her brother, brought light to those around her – _somehow, she seems to take after "uncle" Izuku and "grandma" Inko,_ Kaida thought, slightly bothered.

She set about the arduous task of washing out her long hair, and the lavender scent of the shampoo worked its calming effect. She hummed softly to herself, her children's favorite lullaby, and as always, the ethereal overtones of Elysium's dragonsong overlaid Kaida's voice.

It no longer voiced a perpetual dialogue in her mind throughout every action of the day. Elysium whispered to her in dreams, against the nightmares and the raging of the dark, but for the most part, its thoughts and Kaida's were as one. Though she would have never imagined that kind of agreeable relationship between spirit and vessel, Kaida was glad for the peace of mind they had built together, seven years in the making. It would have been _far_ too tiresome to deal with the ornery dragon in addition to two young children, after all.

 ** _"…_** ** _are you comparing me to the impudence of a child?"_**

Kaida rolled her eyes.

 _When you're petty like that, yes. Actually, never mind – my children are better behaved than you._

She heard the dragon's rumbling laughter and felt its amusement. She smiled. There was much good to cling to, good that they had worked hard to build in their lives.

* * *

 **—** **Todoroki—**

Shoto and Izuku had come home to the kitchen _literally_ on fire, Inko frantically juggling pans on all six burners atop their stove, and Shoto's son sulking in the corner, complaining about his sister not giving him a turn to help cook. Dinner was _questionably_ seasoned, likely the result of Hikari being left with the spices for a moment with naught but Uncle Baku to supervise her; the end product was a yakisoba nearly too spicy for poor Kousuke to stomach, but pillar of strength that he was, he persevered through the meal.

After the fact, once the children had been put to bed, Inko and Rei settled down for their nightly game of _Gomoku_ , the four heroes sprawled themselves out in the living room.

Izuku yawned every two minutes, his nightcap flopping over his face as dozed off on the couch beside Katsuki, who was flipping through every channel on the TV with great disinterest. Shoto was attempting to read the weekend newspaper, but Kaida inserted herself right up against his side, plopped her tablet into his lap, and stuffed one wireless earbud into his left ear. She tapped the screen, and the clips from Shoto and Izuku's earlier interview popped up. He winced.

"Oh, come on," Kaida smirked. "It's always fun to re-watch these."

"When you're not in them, that's easy to say," he sighed. "I can't think of many things that are _less_ fun, actually." But obliging her, he folded up the Sunday paper and tossed it onto the coffee table.

The video played for less than a minute before Kaida couldn't help but comment, stifling a laugh, "I think you actually smile _less_ than your old man, on television."

"Enji _leers_ at the camera," Rei piped up, from the other side of the table, "and you can hardly call that a smile. The effort is there, though."

"I put in an effort, Mom…" Shoto protested.

"Oh, god," Kaida buried her head in his shoulder, away from the screen. Shoto saw that the clip had moved to the footage of their latest raid. "That footage is so… unflattering."

Katsuki snorted. "What, you worried that your dragon ass looks too fat from that angle? If you ask me, the issue is Deku's running with shitty posture making the camera so shaky that anyone watchin'll get motion sickness."

"No one was asking you," Kaida retorted.

"Is my posture really that bad…?" Izuku mumbled.

Shoto laughed at their bickering, pushing Kaida's hair out of her face and wrapping an arm around her as she pouted. It was in moments like those that he could almost imagine the four of them still in their days at UA, before being set upon by the tribulations of life as an adult in the world of pro heroes. Shoto never thought growing up that he would be part of a partnered agency, let alone with a whole team, but he couldn't imagine life any other way than as it was with his closest friends, mother, wife, and children.

"Okay, forget it," Kaida paused the video and pulled the earbud out of her ear. "You were right, this is boring. Shall we go—?"

The doorbell rang, and she stopped short. Izuku jumped, woken from his dozing. Katsuki raised an eyebrow.

"Are we expecting someone?" he grumbled. Kaida frowned, and stood up, making her way around the sofa.

"Not that I know of, but it also wouldn't be the first time Natsuo popped in unannounced," Shoto said, following after her. It was well after-hours, and the only way someone would have been able to access the elevator up to the penthouse was through the biometrics checks – which only included Katsuki's parents, who were on vacation in Europe, and the rest of the Todoroki family.

"Oh dear," Rei sighed. "I hope he's not inebriated this time."

Kaida hummed apathetically, and opened the door. She bristled visibly as soon as the guests came into view.

And quite fairly so. The last thing Shoto expected to find at his doorstep on a Saturday night was a familiar villain and an unfamiliar teenage girl.

"Good evening, Tamashini _-chan,"_ The tall man smirked, lifting a hand in greeting. The heavy scarring on his arms, neck, and face were entirely unmistakable – though the last time Shoto had seen this villain was in the forest, seven years ago.

* * *

 **Dabi**

 **Quirk: Cremation**

* * *

The girl by his side surreptitiously clung to the sleeve of his windbreaker, nibbling her lip nervously. Her long silver hair was swept over one shoulder, parted around her forehead by a distinctive golden horn.

"Or, I suppose," Dabi continued, "if I'm going for informalities, I might as well call you _sis—"_

In a sudden flash, a long blade was leveled at the man's throat. Kaida's eyes blazed, her pupils turning to slits.

"I don't know who you think you are to walk up to my home in this manner," she said, her voice dangerously low. "But if you think that you're taking another step without answering to me, you're dead where you stand."

The man's cold blue gaze eyed Elysium's tail-scythe, and he sighed. If he was intimidated, he did well to hide it. "Well. Looks like we've got our work cut out for us, Eri."

* * *

 **Chapter Seventeen: To Us, Seven Years Hence**

 _Next chapter: Rewind_


End file.
